A Prayer for Patients In Hospitals And Their Families

　　By Chris Eyte

　　"Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.'

　　'Skin for skin!' Satan replied. 'A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.'

　　The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.'

　　So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

　　His wife said to him, 'Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!'

　　He replied, 'You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?'

　　In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." - Job 2: 3-10

　　If you are a patient in a hospital reading this - you are not alone. God is with you. Perhaps it seems unfair to find yourself there. Hospitals are strange places - the sights and sounds are disturbing. I have had a lot of experience with them myself. Nurses chatting in the corridor, call buttons bleeping loudly, other patients shouting, the clicking of IV line machines, weird smells of cooked food and cleaning chemicals… moments of quiet interrupted by your curtain being called back by an assistant taking blood pressure, or groups of doctors doing the rounds.

　　“This is no life, no life at all” - the words of an elderly man in a bed opposite me. It was twenty years ago, but I remember him well. His whispers slowly developed into a deep snoring sound and then an awful ‘death rattle’ as his life ebbed away. The night he died, he fell off the bed, and I had to call for help. Later, his breathing stopped. The next morning, the nurses drew my curtain across as they dealt with his remains. It was a macabre experience, eating my breakfast with a dead man opposite.

　　I expect you have your own stories of staying in hospitals. Or perhaps your loved one is in hospital right now, and it’s difficult working out how to support them. I have known that too - a close relative had a major heart operation, and I was with them day and night. It was exhausting.

　　What comfort can we draw from Job’s story? First, God knew what was happening. Second, Satan’s attempts to destroy were upended. Third, Job kept his relationship with God. Ultimately, God showed that he is God.

　　You may not understand why this has happened to you. Sometimes, we just don’t get the answers we seek. But please understand that God has not abandoned you. Talk to him from your sick bed. Talk to him if you are visiting an inpatient. Keep the communication channels open!

　　Healing can take time, and that’s OK, too. You may find it an opportunity to be quiet before the Lord and lean on his strength. Surely that’s what we should all be doing anyway? Putting him first, way beyond any other priority. You are not forgotten and the Holy Spirit is working in the situation. Walk with him in this. Psalm 23: 1-2 says: ‘TheLordis my shepherd, I will not be in need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.’ Let him lead you and be comforted by him. Even if your illness means you don’t feel good, just quietly trust his love for you. More than anything - and this has certainly helped me when I’ve been in hospital - understand that he really does love you.

　　Employ whatever strength you have in meditating on this truth from Romans 8:38-39:

　　'And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.'

　　Let’s pray:

　　Lord,

　　I need your help. Convince me of your love in this dark situation. I don’t want to be in a hospital, but thank you for the help and care I am receiving from doctors and nurses. I trust you for the healing path I am on, and let your will be done in me. I proclaim today the truth that nothing can separate me from your love. I am totally secure and loved. I trust you with childlike faith. You are my heavenly father. By the stripes of Jesus, I am healed, and I am being healed, and I will be healed. Amen.