(Tuesday)
I took my mom to see her cardiologist on Monday. This doctor has seen her twice in the past and wanted a follow-up before moving to an annual visit. I didn’t really expect anything out of the ordinary; mom has always been pretty healthy with a strong heart. When he looked over her records, though, I was not prepared for what he was about to say.
Two words – he spoke only two words. In that moment, I knew our lives had changed. Many times in the course of a day, Mom’s hearing misses things. I briefly hoped this would be one of those occasions and that she hadn’t heard what the doctor had said. She didn’t need to hear this.
Unfortunately, I would have no such luck this time. She heard him loud and clear, and my brain began to wonder what my next move should be. I couldn’t ignore it because she was already repeating him word-for-word. She whipped her head in my direction and demanded, “Did you hear him? Did you hear what he said? He said I’m…” but my brain was already moving ahead. How would I handle this on the ride home? She wasn’t likely to let it pass without reminding me of the doctor’s opinion several times.
How could the doctor do this to me? What was he thinking? I know he doesn’t know her well, but this announcement was out of the blue and would be creating a problem. She would be clinging to those two words, and I couldn’t believe I was going to have to listen to his voice echo around our house from now until… well, probably the rest of our lives.
I knew what he meant. He intended to offer his assessment that her heart is in good shape. Physically, he found no defect and no need to address any issues. While I’m glad for that, I immediately cringed at his choice of words.
Sure enough, no time was wasted in sharing those two words. Mom repeated the evaluation to the workers at the desk as we checked out. She told the people in the waiting room. She reminded me on the way to the car – twice. She mentioned it on the ride home, and she told each family member throughout the night. “Do you know what my doctor told me? He said I’m…!”
I almost can’t bring myself to revisit that moment. People she has told have not known exactly how to respond, but that hasn’t slowed down the sharing of words that have changed everything. Two words, one phrase, twelve letters… only one person’s opinion casually spoken as he rose to leave the room and strand me with an effulgent parent. He looked her right in the eye, drew in a breath, and definitively spoke: “You’re perfect.”
In the days of King Hezekiah, the Israelite priests had been behaving in ways that were less than perfect. He saw how they had closed the doors of the Temple and turned off the lights. They were no longer leading the people in worship – no sacrifices, no incense, nothing that was pleasing to the Lord. They had turned their backs on the Church. Hezekiah felt his heart led in a better direction. He had the doors repaired and reopened, and he called the Levi priests together. Hezekiah looked them right in the eyes, drew in a breath, and definitively spoke: “Make yourselves holy and make God’s home holy. Get back to the work of moving toward perfection. God has chosen you to take your place before him… this is your life work; make sure you do it and do it well.”
My mother is not perfect regardless of her doctor’s opinion. She is, however, a chosen child of God who is moving toward perfection. Will she reach that goal? Yep, with God’s help, all things are possible. Her life work – and ours – is to take her place before God and do it well.
Moving toward perfection,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM PSALM 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! We long to be where you are; to stand in your very presence, and to behold you, face to face! And so we have come to you today; we quiet our minds to worship you – to offer the praise which belongs to you alone. Bless us as we worship you, and as we open our hearts and minds to your presence among us. For you alone are God, the One in whom we trust. Amen.
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 84 – Better is a single day in your courtyards than a thousand days anywhere else!
2 Chronicles 29 – Make yourselves holy so you can make holy the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors by removing from the sanctuary any impure thing.
Hebrews 9 – He will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html
I took my mom to see her cardiologist on Monday. This doctor has seen her twice in the past and wanted a follow-up before moving to an annual visit. I didn’t really expect anything out of the ordinary; mom has always been pretty healthy with a strong heart. When he looked over her records, though, I was not prepared for what he was about to say.
Two words – he spoke only two words. In that moment, I knew our lives had changed. Many times in the course of a day, Mom’s hearing misses things. I briefly hoped this would be one of those occasions and that she hadn’t heard what the doctor had said. She didn’t need to hear this.
Unfortunately, I would have no such luck this time. She heard him loud and clear, and my brain began to wonder what my next move should be. I couldn’t ignore it because she was already repeating him word-for-word. She whipped her head in my direction and demanded, “Did you hear him? Did you hear what he said? He said I’m…” but my brain was already moving ahead. How would I handle this on the ride home? She wasn’t likely to let it pass without reminding me of the doctor’s opinion several times.
How could the doctor do this to me? What was he thinking? I know he doesn’t know her well, but this announcement was out of the blue and would be creating a problem. She would be clinging to those two words, and I couldn’t believe I was going to have to listen to his voice echo around our house from now until… well, probably the rest of our lives.
I knew what he meant. He intended to offer his assessment that her heart is in good shape. Physically, he found no defect and no need to address any issues. While I’m glad for that, I immediately cringed at his choice of words.
Sure enough, no time was wasted in sharing those two words. Mom repeated the evaluation to the workers at the desk as we checked out. She told the people in the waiting room. She reminded me on the way to the car – twice. She mentioned it on the ride home, and she told each family member throughout the night. “Do you know what my doctor told me? He said I’m…!”
I almost can’t bring myself to revisit that moment. People she has told have not known exactly how to respond, but that hasn’t slowed down the sharing of words that have changed everything. Two words, one phrase, twelve letters… only one person’s opinion casually spoken as he rose to leave the room and strand me with an effulgent parent. He looked her right in the eye, drew in a breath, and definitively spoke: “You’re perfect.”
In the days of King Hezekiah, the Israelite priests had been behaving in ways that were less than perfect. He saw how they had closed the doors of the Temple and turned off the lights. They were no longer leading the people in worship – no sacrifices, no incense, nothing that was pleasing to the Lord. They had turned their backs on the Church. Hezekiah felt his heart led in a better direction. He had the doors repaired and reopened, and he called the Levi priests together. Hezekiah looked them right in the eyes, drew in a breath, and definitively spoke: “Make yourselves holy and make God’s home holy. Get back to the work of moving toward perfection. God has chosen you to take your place before him… this is your life work; make sure you do it and do it well.”
My mother is not perfect regardless of her doctor’s opinion. She is, however, a chosen child of God who is moving toward perfection. Will she reach that goal? Yep, with God’s help, all things are possible. Her life work – and ours – is to take her place before God and do it well.
Moving toward perfection,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM PSALM 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! We long to be where you are; to stand in your very presence, and to behold you, face to face! And so we have come to you today; we quiet our minds to worship you – to offer the praise which belongs to you alone. Bless us as we worship you, and as we open our hearts and minds to your presence among us. For you alone are God, the One in whom we trust. Amen.
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 84 – Better is a single day in your courtyards than a thousand days anywhere else!
2 Chronicles 29 – Make yourselves holy so you can make holy the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors by removing from the sanctuary any impure thing.
Hebrews 9 – He will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html