Hi,
I had to send this along, partly because of the humour (which will mean
something to at least one person I know) but mainly because of the story.
If you don't have these devotionals, they're well worth getting. I'll try
to send only some of the best and probably won't do it for too long, giving
you all time to decide to have them also! <Smiles>
FROG HAT
Last fall my 9-year-old son, Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the
Surgery, Austin's anesthesiologist came to start an IV. He was wearing a
cool
surgical cap covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that 'frog hat.'
The doctor explained that he had two choices. He could either try to start
the IV, or he could wait until Austin was up in the operating room. In the
OR,
the doctor would give Austin some 'goofy' gas, and start the IV when he was
more relaxed.
"So, Austin ," he asked, "'which do you want?" Austin replied, "I'll take
the gas."
But when the doctor started to leave, Austin called, "Hey, wait." The doctor
turned. "Yeah, buddy, what do you need?"
"Do you go to church?"
"No," the doctor admitted. "I know I probably should, but I don't."
Austin then asked, "Well, are you saved?"
Chuckling nervously, the doctor said, "Nope. But after talking to you, maybe
it's something I should consider."
Pleased with his response, Austin answered, "Well, you should, 'cause Jesus
is great!"
"I'm sure He is, little guy," the doctor said, and quickly made his exit.
After that, a nurse took me to the waiting room. Someone would come and get
me when Austin's surgery was done. After about 45 minutes, the
anesthesiologist
came into the waiting room. He told me the surgery went well and then said,
"Mrs. Blessitt, I don't usually come down and talk to the parents after a
surgery,
but I just had to tell you what your son did."
Oh boy, I thought. What did that little rascal do now? The doctor explained
that he'd just put the mask on Austin when my son signaled that he needed to
say something. When the doctor removed the mask, Austin blurted, "Wait a
minute, we have to pray!"
The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed, "Dear Lord, please let
all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor
with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen."
The doctor admitted this touched him. "I was so sure he would pray that his
surgery went well," he explained. "He didn't even mention his surgery. He
prayed
for me! Mrs Blessitt, I had to come down and let you know what a great
little guy you have."
A few minutes later a nurse came to take me to post-op. She had a big smile
on her face as we walked to the elevator. "Mrs. Blessitt, I couldn't wait to
tell you something exciting that your son did." With a smile, I told her
that the doctor already mentioned Austin 's prayer.
"But there's something you don't know," she said. "Some of the other nurses
and I have been witnessing to and praying for that doctor for a long time.
After your son's surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about
Austin's prayer. He said, "Well girls, you got me. If that little boy could
pray
for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his
Jesus too."
She then recounted how they joined the doctor as he prayed to receive Christ
right there in the hospital. Wow! Austin had played a small part in
something
wonderful. But then, so did the nurses who prayed and witnessed.
I thought about John's words in his Gospel, "One sows and the other reaps"
(John 4:37 ). Austin 's experience taught me that, although we never know
which
role we may be called to play, in the end it doesn't matter. What's
important is that we remain faithful in sharing the gospel.
Stu
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WHAT YOU ARE IS GOD'S GIFT TO YOU AND WHAT YOU BECOME IS YOUR GIFT TO GOD
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