Urgent Care
The way God loves –
so tenderly,
so intimately,
so “I’ve got you”,
always amazes me.
I am forever in awe of Him.
As I walked into Urgent Care,
I felt His presence
(always He is with me)
going before me.
“How can we help you?”
“I’d like to have someone
look at my hand, please.”
“Ok. We can certainly
do that for you.
What seems to be the problem?”
“I was bit by a dog.”
For the first time
in our conversation,
the woman sitting at the desk
stopped what she was doing
and looked up at me.
“Before we can see you,
you will need to file
a police report.”
“I’m sorry.
What?”
“We can’t treat you
until you file a police report.”
“But, I don’t want to file
a police report.
I just need someone to
look at my hand.”
“I’m sorry, but we can’t
without a police report.”
I just stood there.
“Oh sweet Jesus, what am I going to do?”
And stood there.
“Lord, help me. Please make a way.”
And stood there.
“Please Father God, show me what to do.”
ABUNDANCE
This is the word
God spoke to my heart
as my word of the year
for 2024.
This place I stood
felt like a red sea in front of me,
mountains beside me,
and Pharoah’s army behind me.
But God.
“You don’t understand.
I can’t file a police report.
I came to bless.
I only came to bless.
It was completely an accident.
I came to see an old friend
and his dog got excited and bit me.
I just wanted to . . . “
I stopped midsentence,
unable to speak
as I fought back tears.
“So this happened at a friend’s house?”
“Yes,
I live in Colorado,
but I am in town
for a Christian women’s retreat
I am hosting this weekend.
While here,
I stopped by to see a
former student of mine.
He reached out to me
a couple of weeks ago –
he’s been going through
an extremely hard season –
and I just wanted to
bless him, encourage him and pray with him.
I don’t want to cause him
any trouble of any kind.
It was just an accident.”
“I’m sorry, Ma’am.
I really am.
I can totally see
your struggle on this
and I’m sorry.”
And again,
I just stood there.
And again,
I silently prayed.
“Maybe my hand will be ok.
I understand your policy.
I do.
I’m sorry,
but I just can’t do that.”
“Excuse me.”
Suddenly a woman
was standing by my side.
“I’ve been sitting over there
with my young daughter
who is waiting to be seen,
but I couldn’t help
overhearing your conversation.
I’m a nurse.
Do you mind
if I look at your hand?”
I showed her my hand –
now extremely swollen,
with stiff fingers,
a gash on the top
and two larger gashes on my palm.
“Oh, hon.
You’re going to need to be seen.
It is already showing signs
of infection that will only get worse.”
“But, I . . . “
Gently placing her hand on my shoulder,
she looked me square in the eyes.
“You. Have. To. Be. Seen.”
She took her seat
by her daughter
as the woman
at the desk “took over”.
“If you’d like, Ma’am,
I can try and get a sheriff
on the phone for you.
I’ll explain the situation
and see what we can do, ok?”
I nodded my head “yes”
and took a seat.
Sometimes
the unmistakable
ABUNDANCE
of God
is seen clearest
in the hearts
He chooses to flow through,
the hearts willing
to be a vessel
of His guidance,
of His kindness,
of His love.
Like the young mother.
Like the receptionist.
Like the sheriff on the phone.
“Ok, Ma’am.
Thank you for giving me
your name and address
and explaining the situation to me.
If I’m hearing you correctly
I understand that you
1. do not wish to press charges
2. do not wish for us to issue a warning
3. do not wish for us to remove the animal.”
“Yes, all of that is correct.
I don’t want any of this
to be an issue for my friend
in any way.
Absolutely no way at all.”
“I can hear your heart, Ma’am,
and I completely understand.
I give you my word.
I appreciate your time.
I’ll release you for care.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“And, thank You,
my Abba Father.“
And just like God
was faithful
to part the Red Sea,
two and a half hours later –
I walked out of Urgent Care
with prescriptions for both
heavy duty antibiotics and pain,
a tetanus shot in my arm,
and joy in my heart.
The way God loves –
so tenderly,
so intimately,
so “I’ve got you”,
always amazes me.
I am forever in awe of Him
and His
urgent care for His children –
urgent care that is always
just what we need,
just when we need it,
in all ways –
overflowing in ABUNDANCE.
~Stacy
This post is the nineteenth post in the ABUNDANCE series.
The first post is “Abundance”, followed by “FULLY LOVED”, “In a New Light”, “Less is More”,“Choose Life”,“Run to The Father”, “Keep Looking”, “Doubling Up”, “The Referral”,“The Question”, “Death Brings Life” “Surrender” , “I’ve Got a God For That”, “Live Out Loud“, “MK”, “Finally”, “The Front Porch” and “All The Emotions”
