The Lap of the Lord
—by Shelly Rock, RN, BA, FCN Coordinator, St. Croix Valley Parish Nurse Program, Lakeview Health, Stillwater, MN
Elim Care Faith Community Nurse Program Advisory Board
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28
There are those days. Those days when being a faith community nurse or a mom or a wife is just too hard, each situation I face seems too big, the needs too great….the feeling that whatever I do is never enough. I cry to the Lord “this is too much, I can’t do it.” It is on those days, in those moments, when the Lord lifts me to His lap, grabs hold of my chin and tilts my head to look straight in His eyes. He says: “Dear one, now I finally have you where I can really use you for …’my power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9)." It is on those days when I am lifted to my Father God’s lap to sit for awhile. As I rest, I am awakened to the realization that God already knows each situation, each individual and He is already working there. He sets me back down calling me to simply join Him in His work.
It had been a hectic day already. I stopped to see Mary at the rehabilitation center where she was recovering from her recent shoulder surgery. Mary and I had talked several times before…mostly by phone as she lived quite a distance from the church. Mary greeted me with her friendly face. I asked her about her surgery, her rehab, her pain, (all of the typical physical assessment questions that come naturally to a nurse). As I probed gently further in my assessment of her emotional health, her family, her faith, that once friendly face quickly turned to tears and then to uncontrollable sobs. Mary cried, “What is God doing Shelly? Am I being punished? Am I not one of His chosen? Why doesn’t God answer my prayers? Why is my life so hard? You’ve been praying for my son, the church has been praying for my son. When is God going to do something?”
Mary’s son is an alcoholic. They bought a home together several years ago…but he had lost his job. His drinking was getting worse, her health was declining and they were at the brink of foreclosure. Physically, Mary was recovering steadily. Emotionally and spiritually, Mary was drained. I felt myself mumbling a prayer under my breath to God, “What am I supposed to say to that Lord? She does have a point!”
I knew this whole situation was beyond me. Permission to talk with the county social worker would be needed to assess her safety returning home, a pastoral referral would be made to address some of her deeper theological questions about “being one of the chosen,” financial help from the church would be sought. But, we would not talk about that today. Because, for Mary, today was “one of those days.” Mary and I sat on the Lord’s lap and rested together that afternoon in the warmth and strength of Jesus’ arms. We read our favorite scripture verses. We prayed familiar prayers. We spoke of God’s promises. Mary let words of God’s love sink deeply. Mary, “I love you with an everlasting love and I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” —Jeremiah 31:3
Mary calmed. When I left I encouraged her to return to the lap of the Lord as often as she needed. Her life, her body, her family were still not well but Mary had received brief rest. I made some referrals and I followed up with Mary by phone a week later. She told me her life situation had not changed but that she had been resting. Not only that, God had brought a Christian friend into her life. She was recovering at the same rehab center and they met to read their Bibles and pray each day. As I hung up the phone, I was reminded that God was working all over Mary’s life. It was a true honor and privilege to love and care for His people. And, that for all of us true healing starts on the lap of the Lord.
