After spending most of the evening in the hospital waiting room while her husband under went an emergency appendectomy, Sarah needed to go home and get some sleep. Her friends, who had graciously spent the evening with her, had gone home when Eric had come out of surgery and she was allowed to join him in the recovery area. It could hardly be called a "room", as there was only a thin curtain separating them from the other recovering patients and their families.
She had waited nervously until Eric was aware enough for the hospital staff to move him to a private room. Then she carried their belongings, his in a large plastic hospital bag, and trailed behind the cluster of nurses pushing Eric's bed through the back passageways of the hospital. Once in the room, she watched quietly from the corner as the nurses helped Eric move from one bed to another. She winced as he nearly screamed in pain as he moved, but she refused to cry because Eric needed to see that she was calm and confident of his recovery.
Sarah waited as the nurses adjusted the tubes and bags of fluids, set up monitors, and finally adjusted the blanket across her husband before they left the room. She gently held his hand as he fell asleep. She couldn't tell if he had finally given in to the pain or the pain killers, but it was three in the morning and it didn't matter. He was finally resting and she could go home to get some much needed rest as well.
When she walked to her car in the emergency room parking lot, Sarah breathed in the humid night air. It had rained earlier, and a light fog had settled in. Driving in silence, she concentrated on the road in front of her. She was so distracted by the days events that she was halfway home before she realized it wasn't just the fog making it more difficult to see, but one of the headlights on the car had burned out as well. It was the last straw and she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Between her sobs she whispered, "God, you've got to help me here, I'm at the end of my rope and I don't know if I can do this. Please, just let me know you're here."
A few minutes later, Sarah wiped the tears from her face and breathed a heavy sigh as she turned on the car stereo. The song that was playing was unfamiliar, but filled her with the peace she had been looking for.
"Everytime I hang by a thread, You're there to save me. You are the hand that keeps reaching, reaching. Everywhere I turn, You're like a shadow right beside me. You are the strength I find everytime, everytime."*
Dearest Heavenly Father, thank you for being with us in all our times of sorrow and fear. Help us to remember that even when we think we have no strength left, that you have endless strength to give us. And that you will hold us up no matter what. In Jesus’ holy name we pray to You. Amen.
*Lyrics from "Everytime" by True Vibe. The lyrics are the property and copyright of their owners.
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