Psalm 35

Wednesday morning I stopped by the hospital to check on John Miller. I had received an e-mail that he had been admitted there, and that things weren't looking too good. On the way, I began to think about "hospital visits", and how I am not quite sure how to do the "correct" visit. "What should I say?", "Will he be able to talk to me?", "Will he be up for company?", "How long a visit is too long?", "Will a short visit offend him?"
As I get off the elevator and head toward his room, all the questions race through my mind again and again; and then I am at John's room. He's not in his bed like I had expected. He's sitting in a chair having breakfast. So, I start to head for a chair to pull up beside of him, but he stops me and wants a hug;..........and he got one. Now I can pull up a chair to talk to him, and when I do he hands me a Bible and asks, "Could you read Psalm 35 to me?"........I didn't see that one coming, but I opened the Bible to Psalm 35; then I noticed how small the print was.......real small, and I didn't have my glasses. No problem, John offered me his. I began reading, and he began praising the Lord. I know the nurses at their station had to have heard him because he didn't whisper his praise; and he continued praising God as I read. And the more he praised......the louder I read; and I don't apologize for that. You see, John's praise was encouragement for me, because God's Word was encouragement for John. There was nothing special about the way that I read to him, or where I was reading. There was nothing special about which translation I read. What was special though, was that as God's Word was being read.......praise was happening; and I, like a lot of Christ followers, enjoy praise. John enjoys God's Word. He records each chapter that he reads in a little notepad, and this day.....he wrote "Psalm 35" in that notepad......and I enjoyed a morning of praise; not a hospital visit.

John, it was good to see you praising at church Sunday.