by JoAnn Crane
I placed my fork on my plate and slouched down in the chair. It was a long day at work that began with a visit to the hospital at 6:30am that morning. My father was hospitalized after a stroke and I checked on him morning, noon, and evening. It was now 6:30 pm and I suddenly felt the urgency to leap from the supper table and quickly get to the hospital sooner than the usual evening visit.
My husband was startled by my sudden action, but followed me to the car with haste. I ran up to the 4th floor and down to my father’s room and was met with a closed door. As I opened the door a dark room met me. Why was the door closed? Why was the room dark? I could hear deep, struggling breathing sounds as my hand reached for the light switch. The light revealed my father’s weakened body slouched down against the bed rail and his eye’s gazing up at me. As I ran to his side he softly and breathlessly said, “I knew you’d come.” My heart felt like it dropped to my feet.
Seeing he was pale and had shortness of breath, I called for the nurse to get oxygen on him quickly. He said he had pressed the button for the nurse several times and when she did come, she gave him a pill, turned off the light and closed the door. I assume he pressed the call button one too many times and an incompetent nurse who did not recognize the symptoms of congestive heart failure left him alone in the dark struggling for breath.
How could someone not realize that this man needed help?
Well, sadly my father did leave this world behind one month later. And this day I often remember his words, “I knew you’d come.” Our loved ones can depend on us when they are helpless. Our loved ones can depend on us for protection. Our loved ones know we will be there for them. Imagine for a moment that you are that helpless patient in a hospital bed. You are calling for help. You wait for someone to open the door, turn on the light, and intercede on your behalf. When will they come? How much longer can you wait? The fear of death seems to surround you.
Well fear not, for help does come! This Child, this precious babe in the manger, has come to rescue us. The Comforter has come! The Light of the world, the awaited Messiah has come as promised. He has stepped into our world and removed the darkness. Yes, our heavenly Father can be depended upon to keep His Promise. He will protect and save us from our sin that otherwise would assure us of hell.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)
When we celebrate the birth of Christ this year, let us remember why He came. We all are helpless and dying and He has come to save us. This child grew into a man who suffered and died for our sin… what love is this!
We all now can say with joy, “I knew You’d come!”
Have a glorious Christmas knowing that Christ came to save you!
Oh, but wait, He has promised to return one day ~ not as a babe in a manger and not as our substitute for our sin. He will return as the eternal KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS. (Revelation 1:12-16)
Again we will say, “I knew You’d come!”
About the author:
I have been writing for myself and journaling for over 5 years. As a sinner saved by grace, I have experienced divorce, drugs and the horror that abortion brings into our life. My heart’s true desire is to comfort another soul along the way, and tell them of the saving grace through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I pray that each day, the Lord will place on my path that ”someone” He desires me to reach out to and speaks to my heart with words especially for her!