Yesterday I received a call from my Grandma’s nursing home to say she was in an ambulance on the way to A+E after suffering from a bleeding leg. They said she was not responding to questions and appeared to be in some pain.
I raced to the hospital, dropping Esther off at a friend on the way, and spent what seemed like an eternity in a queue waiting to ask where I could find my Gran. I was shown into a resuss room by a House Doctor who looked about 17.
There was Gran, looking small and helpless in a massive bed wired up to the many beeping monitors.

I felt a total sense of calm come over me. The tune and words of an old hymn came immediately into my mind:

“The King of Love my Shepherd is
His goodness faileth never
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.”

I sang this into my Gran’s ear and squeezed her hand. Then I repeated Psalm 23 over her a few times, telling her Jesus was near and there was nothing to fear. I absolutely believed it!

All around us was chaos and noise. A man in the next bed was fighting the staff and kept pulling his tubes out. He had to be sedated or as they put it “made more comfortable.” Another man’s heart kept stopping. It was a frenetic and far from peaceful environment. But I was in a little bubble with my Gran – just gently singing and speaking words of life and truth over her.

When I eventually saw a doctor – a wonderfully gentle, calm African guy, I felt totally cocooned in the love of Jesus. I did not feel scared or alone. I felt safe and warm, if slightly sickened by the smells emanating from the ward.

He asked me Gran’s medical history and I gave it, as best I could. A student nurse came and did an ECG, stripping Gran completely to place the skin patches on her chest. My little Gran remained dignified, even in her restless sleep – unaware of what was happening to her.

I saw the best of humanity in that room and the worst. People who were scared and people who were calm. Staff who were on top of situations and staff who were absolutely not. Attitude makes so much difference in exactly the same situation. I was determined to be a rock for my Gran and my family (Mum and Dad were returning from holiday yesterday evening) and I found I was standing on the rock that is Jesus.

He will not let your foot slip. He who watches over you will not slumber or sleep.

Whatever emergency you find yourself in, you will find He is already there. I blessed the African doctor on my way out and He blessed me back. We smiled at one another. Christ was shared.