Greetings from Huguley Hospital

Happy Friday!  This post comes from the Chaplain’s office at Huguley Hospital where I am the on call chaplain for the evening.  Currently it is quiet and I am caught up on my charting of patient visits.  Tonight’s reflection comes from a book titles: Moments of Peace for the Evening. Our supervising chaplain has made sure that each floor staff is well supplied with this and its companion book Moments of Peace and Wisdom. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Lord, in the quiet of this moment I give thanks for the peacefulness of this time.  As I come quietly to You in prayer I ask you to help me to further understand Your Word and apply it to my everyday life and stand firm on this Word when faced with difficult tasks.  Let me remember to come to You before trying to work it out myself.  And if I forget to call on you before I act, Lord, meet me and let us work it out together.  In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

“With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks and praise to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.  For He has delivered me out of every trouble.”

Psalm 54: 6-7

You know nothing hacks Satan off more than when we praise God in our troubles.  In Acts 16: 25 Paul and Silas were in prison and were just singing hymns of praise to God at the top of their voices.  The passage says, “singing a robust hymn to God.”  Friends, they were not lamenting their troubles.  They were singing a praise and worship hymn.  The passage in Acts further says, “The prisoners couldn’t believe their ears.”  Paul and Silas were beaten and chained and singing hymns of praise to God.  These two men were offering a “sacrifice of praise” unto God in the midst of their troubles.  They could have whined, cried, screamed and turned their backs on God, but they did not.  A sacrifice of praise is being completely assured of God’s presence with us no matter what the situation.

Geni and Travis both have a tattoo that says, “When your life is in discord, Praise the Lord.”  I don’t know if Paul and Silas had this tattooed on their bodies somewhere, but they sure had it tattooed on their souls and in their voices.  So the next time we are all facing some difficult situation let’s try to find a way to praise God remembering that God is in control of every situation especially the one we are currently experiencing.

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.