When Just One Is… Enough

“You are the only one who has come.”

My neighbor was crying when she said this.  Crying as I held her in my arms.  I couldn’t believe my ears.

My neighbor has lots of family and friends.  She is active on Facebook and had recently revealed the source of her pain.

Her father is dying.

Her FB posts are gut-wrenching.  Real and raw expressions of her suffering, as a daughter who loves her Dad.  Expressions of her love for You, Lord, and her faith in You… and how hard it is to hold onto that faith in the midst of this terrible journey.

I had sent her several FB posts of encouragement… as have many others.  But today was… different.  I read something she had posted last night.  When the rest of her world was asleep.  And I heard Your still small Voice as if it were a shout:

“Go see her.”

So I did.  I was in her driveway when she opened her front door.  She had seen me coming.  Without a word, I extended my arms toward her. Without a word, she came into my open arms… as if they were Your arms, Lord.

And they were, I guess… in a way.  Your arms in my arms… giving her Your hug.  Because that’s how You work… through Your Forever Family.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

We have not known each other long.  We do not know each other well.  Yet we are Family. Today, it showed.

Why haven’t others come?  She said they don’t understand how hard it is.  It happens a lot… doesn’t it, Lord?  We don’t understand.  So we don’t know what to say.  So we disappear altogether.  While those we love suffer alone.

Except every day, really.  Because You are closer to my neighbor than her next heartbeat. Because You are her heartbeat.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  (Psalm 34:18)

But sometimes we need to feel You, Lord… with skin on.  And today, I got to be Your Delivery Girl.

“I heard the Voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send?  And who will go for Us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'”  (Isaiah 6:8)

Oh, Beloved… How can I ever thank You enough?

Abba’s Girl

 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *