God’s Light

How Nursing Home Volunteers can respond in the Corona Crisis

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I was sick and you visited me…Matthew 25

Being in the grip of public health emergency it is important to know how we as volunteers can help. Our first order of business is not to panic. Our precious friends in long term care already are dealing with serious personal medical situations as well as depression and loneliness. We need to find out what we can do to lift their load.

Secondly we need to face the Corona virus not as some mysterious plague but as another in a yearly cycle of serious diseases. Use common sense. Follow the directives of the facilities you are visiting. I go 3-4 times a week into different homes to sing. Each time I shower and change first then still use the hand sanitizer at the door as I sign in. I use another sanitizer between wards and then again on the way out the door. Once home I wash with warm soap and water. If all this sounds like a lot of trouble remember that sickness can be whole a lot more trouble than soap!

Last of all we need to not only pray but also be creative and upbeat. Keep in touch by text with staff or other volunteers who are out sick. A phone call or even a card can do as much as any medicine in the face of discouragement. We are serving on the front lines of both a medical as well as a spiritual battle. We must keep our heads about us and trust the Lord. He has sent us to bring a message of hope and life and this is the time to buckle up and be ready for anything. He has promised to be with us and He just might want to use you to remind someone else of that today!

Is Jesus the Light of Your World?

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Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 ESV

I rolled over in bed slapping at the alarm clock and then throwing off my blanket and sitting up. It was 4:45 a.m. again and time for me to begin milking the cow. I stumbled upstairs, found the milk bucket then filled the bottom few inches with warm water for washing the cow’s udder. Then I’d grab a clean cloth and step out the door with our cat  following close behind. At five a.m. no matter what time of year it was always still dark, but with the beam of my flashlight I could find my way; step by step across the dirt road to the barn where our cow Blossom waited for me.

India and Nepal 121

When we think of Jesus being “The Light of the World” we might picture him rising like the sun in the morning and making everything in life clear. But I think it might be a bit closer to those early mornings when I was crossing the road to the barn. When Jesus promise is that we won’t walk in darkness when we follow Him. It is as if He is holding the flashlight so that if we stay close to Him, it will shine ahead just enough for us to take our next step. We don’t need to know every twist and turn that lies on the road ahead. All we need to do is trust that Jesus knows the way and that He will lead us all the way to His Father’s house!

Lord I Want to See!

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“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. … Luke 18:41-43 NLT

Often our greatest problem is that we are not seeing clearly. “Sit still!” my Step-father used to say as I would try to wriggle away from the tweezers with which he worked to pull splinters from my hand. All I could see was a big man standing over me with something that was causing me pain. But he could see that if the splinter wasn’t removed then an infection could cause greater pain or even irreparable harm.

Are you going through situations that are out of your control? In the moment it is so painful that all you want to do is wriggle free. We cry out praying things like, “Lord hide me from this situation!” But maybe our best prayer would be, “Lord help me see this trial like You do!” Then when Jesus says, “Receive your sight.” we will suddenly see other people for the very first time. Next as we turn to look in the mirror we will be able see ourselves as God does. Then when we look up to Jesus we will see that His plan was best. Last of all as we look ahead we will be able to walk side by side with our Savior and Sight Giver and follow Him all along the way!

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