The Answer

Yesterday I called a new patient's home to set up arrange foe an initial chaplain visit for a new hospice patient. His wife was reluctant, saying they had their own church and plenty of spiritual support but agreed to one visit to allow me to make an assessment.

As I began to talk, mainly with her as he is a dementia patient, I could see the pain in her eyes and hear the hurt in her voice. I began to ask questions about their journey and the difficulties they must be facing. Although guarded at first, the wife soon began to tell of her personal struggle with the weight of being a care giver. And then, she began to share her personal faith struggle.

She is a Christian, she is a long-time, faithful member of a church, she has four ministers in her family, she didn't want or need a preacher to fix her or correct her theology, but she needed spiritual support and she was quick to ask me to continue coming by for that support.

She didn't need converting but did need consoling.  She didn't need clarification but did need understanding. She didn't need someone to give her answers, she someone to be the answer - to be Christ for her in the flesh. She needed to experience the Spirit of Christ through one of His disciples.

At one point I looked at her and said, "Whatever the question is, the answer is Jesus."  She nodded and her eyes teared up as she began to release some of the personal burden she had held inside in her attempt to be strong for her husband.

I asked if I could sing a song for them and she nodded yes. As I began singing, "In the Garden," I could see her tearing up again as she mouthed the words along with me. When I finished, she said, "That was my mother's favorite song."  I am not that insightful, I'm not clairvoyant, it was the Holy Spirit directing the song choice needed to bring some solace to her weary soul.

Although she didn't think she needed any support at first, she did. She was needing an answer to the pain in her soul, she needed The Answer, she needed to feel the presence of Christ, not a Christian sermon or theological training. She didn't need me to display my professional acumen. She needed to be drawn near to her Lord, which happens this way: "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32).

She needed to feel the presence of Christ as he was lifted up in my presence as I shared His love for them, reminded her of His promises to her, assured her of His steadfastness to His children. I wasn't telling her what the answer was or pointing her in the direction of the answer, I was being the Answer by allowing Christ's Spirit to be seen in me, which happened as I got out of the way so the Spirit within could shine through.  Jus' Say'n.