Hospital Visits
Tuesday is my assigned day for hospital visits. Each of the pastors of Congregational Care has a particular day to which we are assigned to visit people in the hospital, pray before surgery, etc. Today I had five visits in four different and traveled forty miles. This has been the busiest day for me thus far for hospital visits.
It is truly a blessing to be with people during this time. Being a representative of God and God's presence is a special blessing and responsibility. Being in a hospital brings an immediacy to events and circumstances. There is the history of the individual and then the next steps. Sometimes there is:
waiting for test results.
waiting for further treatment.
wondering what might be next.
preparing to go home.
preparing for death.
Each of these is important and has a place in our Christian life. The blessing of Advent is anticipating Christ's coming into our lives - in hospital or home.