No Hope

I've spent 26 hours over the last four days in a hospital, with a family member who has a brain tumor. It is such a thick slice of personalities and society that travel through this place over the course of days. It is an amazing place to watch people.

It is a large city hospital, in a rough part of town. It is also a teaching hospital, full of innocent, wide eyed students wanting to heal the world. There are compassionate nurses, and all types of doctors. Some docs are friendly and helpful;others are arrogant and cold. Like anybody else.

The patients are from all walks of life. Many face death, or long recoveries. The faces of grieving family members stay with you. Healing can occur, physically, mentally and even spiritually. Lives are changed; life and death decisions are made. Some earthly, some eternal.

Another floor might be full of new life and rejoicing. Anticipation of diapers, class plays and diplomas.

And you know something? God knows each one. He loves each one.

But I can not imagine how people go through disease and death, trials and tribulations, without faith. Where is their hope? In themselves? How sad.

God never promised us an easy life. He promised to be there for us, to walk with us. To be our shelter.

To be our hope.