Hospitals: a Place of Miracles

People often think of miracles as being supernatural events where no human could possibly be involved. People also think that the miracle of modern medicine is exclusive from these supernatural events, such as Jesus healing the blind or cleansing the leper with the sound of His voice.

Today I spent time in the trenches of the hospital and got to see things I never thought I would get to see. I watched a cardiologist perform two heart cath procedures where he so tediously threaded a catheter into people's hearts to ensure that the organ that keeps their blood pumping and bodies alive was working properly, and if there was a problem then he could do something to help heal that person. I also watched as an electrophysiologist performed an a-fibrillation procedure where a man's heartbeat was restored to its regular rhythm after dealing with a very irregular heartbeat.

I have always believed that God can perform miracles, but I always thought of them in the context of the Bible where Jesus would touch a person or say a word and that person would be immediately healed. But since Jesus is not here in the form of a man, and he still performs miracles today, then so often He will use His people to work through in order to heal people. He can use any method He pleases to perform his miracles, and there is no place I have seen this truth more clearly than in the hospital.

God has gifted each of us with unique abilities and skills and passions, as well as means by which we can heal people in both our professional and personal lives as well. It doesn't matter if it's a nurse, physician, surgeon, or administrator... All of these employees are reflections of the Great Physician.

What really amazed me was the sweet reminder that Jesus gave me when I was walking through the shock/trauma ICU this afternoon. I was incredibly nervous to walk over there-- what would I see? Hear? Smell? I've seen almost every Grey's Anatomy episode ever made and could stomach that for the most part, but I had convinced myself that I couldn't deal with the stereotypical hospital/sick person smell, and don't even think about asking me to deal with blood and body fluids. It was just too much for me. But as He so often seems to do, Jesus  so kindly, gently and patiently reminded me that not once has he ever backed away from me in my human state, in my sickness, or at any time that I reek of anything other than what flows directly from His spirit living inside of me. Each and every day, He presses in to me and cares for me, provides for me and loves me. How could I possibly tell myself that it was okay to just "hold my breath and look away" when I encountered a patient that looks deformed or smells bad?

So I will continue to press in. Even though I am not healing patients at the bedside, I want to press in to every person I encounter-- coworkers, patients, families and friends-- because Jesus has pressed in to me, loves me and has healed me.