Jesus

O Antiphons Devotional Series

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Merry Christmas from NCFI.

This year we want to give you a special gift centered on the identities of Christ. Enjoy!

I enjoy learning how our Christian ancestors worshipped the Lord. Depending on your denomination, you may be familiar with the O Antiphons or chants sung from December 17 to the 23. They were first written in the 6th or 7th century and cover the 7 titles of Christ mentioned in Scripture. Each title is in Latin and creates the acrostic ero cras which translated means “Tomorrow, I will be there” mirroring the theme of the antiphons: Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, & Sapienta. The order begins with Sapienta (Wisdom) and leads to the final antiphon, Emmanuel.

What surprised me most in my research was one of my favorite Christmas hymns “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is the combination of all 7 antiphons in 1 song. So amazing!

Each antiphon has the following structure:

  • a Messianic title preceded by “O”. Example: “O Wisdom”
  • elaboration of the title: “coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things”
  • the verb “come”
  • elaboration of the request to come: “and teach us the way of prudence.”

This holiday season, I invite you to join me praying and meditating on the beautiful ancient prayers of the O Antiphons. There are many ways to engage with the devotions: Follow the ancient tradition by beginning December 17 and completing the series by December 23; or, start earlier and take a couple days to meditate on a single antiphon; or dive deeper and link scriptures with the antiphon discovering wealth of grace and love the Lord has for you.  One website suggested singing the corresponding verse from “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” which I have included.

During this beautiful time of Advent, let us not only pray for ourselves and our loved ones to receive a fresh Christmas spirit, but may we also pray for our world to find Christ during this holy season. Come O Lord Jesus, come.

December 17:  O Wisdom (Sapienta)

“O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly, ordering all things. Come and teach us the way of prudence.”

Isaiah 11:2-3: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 28:2; Proverbs 8:1-36; John 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:24

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 2: O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 18: O Sacred Lord (O Adonai)

“O Adonai and leader of the House of Israel who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai. Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.”

Isaiah 63:11-12: Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name,

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 33:22; Exodus 3:2; 24:12; Micah 6:4; Acts 7:30-31

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 3: O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height in ancient times didst give the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

December 19: O Root of Jesse (O Radix Jesse)

“O Root of Jesse standing as a sign among the peoples, before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations will make their prayer. Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.”

Isaiah 11:1, 10:  There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit….In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 52:15; Romans 15:12

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 4: O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny. From depth of Hell they people save and give them vict’ry o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 20: O Key of David (O Clavis Davidica)

“O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel, you open and no one can shut, you shut and no one can open. Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

Isaiah 22:22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:16; 16:19 Luke 1:79 Revelation 3:7

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 5: O Come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heav’nly home, make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

December 21: O Morning Star (O Oriens)

O Morning Star, splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousness. Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Isaiah 9:2: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 58:8; 60:18-20 Malachi 4:2 Luke 1:78-79 John 8:12 Revelation 21:23-25; 22:16 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel verse 6: O Come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine Advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 22: O King of Nations (O Rex Gentium)

O King of Nations and their desire, the cornerstone making both one. Come and save the human race which you fashioned from clay.

Daniel 7:14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 2:4; 11:10; Romans 15:12; Ephesians 2:14, 19-20 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 7: O Come, Desire of the nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid every strife and quarrel cease and fill the world with heaven’s peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

December 23: O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel our King and our Lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour. Come and save us, O Lord our God.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Additional Scriptures: Matthew 1:23 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 1: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

Conclusion:

Enjoy the beautiful O Antiphons Plainsong with accompaniment. It includes the additional O Antiphon sung on Christmas eve.

NCFI Cares: The Face of Kindness

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And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

As a nursing professor who teaches gerontology care of older adults, I am always intrigued by articles that support caring for patients with dementia. These vulnerable adults can be caught up in their own world filled with fear and paranoia, especially when they are surrounded by people they don’t know. This can be very troublesome for caregivers or nurses who are trying to provide for their basic needs like nutrition and cleaning. A few years back I found a study about how the simple act of a kind facial expression can alleviate fear and calm someone with dementia. The person sees the calm expression and bright smile and there fear is changed to trust and calmness. The same is said for contrast. When the caregivers are rushed or frustrated, the person with dementia sees their face and feels threatened and fearful.
 
I think the same can be said of anyone. Our facial expressions speaks loudly to others without us moving our lips. A big smile says joy and love. A hopeful expression communicates trust and security. A simple nod shows respect and honor to others. The greatest thing about our facial expressions is there no need for a language interpreter, for it is universal.
 
Take some time and reflect on your facial expressions. Does your face communicate the love and joy you have in Christ? Is your calmness and joy spilling over into your smile? Does your expression change when you work with patients, colleagues, or even family members? Keep in mind no one can illuminate joy all the time. Yet, we can become more cognizant of whether our expressions are congruent with our heart and spirit.
 
p.s. You can find more information on communicating with people with dementia on the Alzheimer’s websites around the world.

Faith More Than Belief

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But he (Thomas) said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:24 ESV)

Unfortunately, Thomas bold statement “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” marked Thomas as “Doubting Thomas.” Let’s bring in some important facts about Thomas. Scripture tells us none of the disciples believed Mary Magdalene who reported her witnessing Jesus’ resurrection (Mark 16:11). The other 11 disciples were afraid and hiding in the upper room (v. 19) when Jesus did appear, thus the same 11 disciples were able to “see to believe.” Thomas was not in the upper room when the other disciples seen Jesus(v. 24).

We can see that even the disciples were doubtful and afraid. In Luke 24, Jesus comes to them and instructs them to touch him, as proof he is not a spirit. The evidence or proof of Jesus miraculous return from the dead is found in him explaining scripture (Luke 24:27), eating and drinking with disciples (John 21:14; Luke 24:42), miraculous catch of fish (John 21:6)Everyone struggles with unbelief and experiences doubt. Instead of giving Thomas a bad rap, we can see the lengths Christ will go to help someone’s unbelief.

Do you know of someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus, or the work on the cross for redemption? Or maybe a fellow Christian who is experiencing a season of doubt? Jesus continues to reveal himself to the world today through the testimony of the disciples.

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31).

Jesus also reveals himself through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let’s respond to the reality of the resurrection as Thomas did, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

Yoke of Trust

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Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gently and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30, ESV).

We are familiar with Jesus’ comforting words, and I can imagine we all desire to lighten our burdens and find rest for our souls. As an educator who works with nurses from a variety of patient settings, I hear the nursing burdens: Not enough staff to care for patients; more and more patients who are sicker and sicker; units closing, which displaces or deletes nursing positions; and management changes. In my long career in nursing, these issues have always existed, and most of the nurses I know are accustomed to adapting to each crisis that comes by. 

We also care for patients, manage staff, and educate students whose burdens are heavy and difficult. How can we make the care that the Lord has entrusted to us lighter? Let’s break down Jesus’ promise and find a way to lighten our burdens.

First, we need to recognize that Jesus didn’t say, IF you have burdens. The assumption is we WILL have burdens. One of the barriers to releasing our heavy burdens is the unrealistic idea that our lives should be worry-free and complication-free. It sounds crazy to say it out loud, yet when a problem comes along, we are dismayed. Whether it is an illness, work-related stress, or a family crisis, these are all human experiences. This is true for our patients as well. There will be extended illnesses, surgery complications, and unforeseen diagnoses. Even though the Gospels have multiple accounts of Jesus healing people, there were even more people who weren’t healed. Yet, Jesus brought the Good News to them, which is Himself.

This brings us to our second point of Jesus’ teaching—“Come to Me!” Life’s burdens cannot be lighter if we don’t hand them over to Jesus. Handing them over to Jesus is more than just praying for healing, seeking His wisdom, and trusting Him. It is daily, and many times, frequently saying, “Jesus, I trust in You!” For example, when the fear of complications attempts to overwhelm a patient’s peace, we can direct them to trust in Jesus and let go of the outcome. I know, sounds frightening! Yet, this is how Jesus will make the burdens lighter, giving the present AND the future of our burdens to Him.

If you are feeling burdened by work, personal, family, or life in general, then you are carrying the load, and Jesus is not. Right now, what burden do you have? Write them down. How do they feel? Are they heavy, uncomfortable, stressful, or worrisome? Then you are carrying them. Or maybe there is a patient, student, or staff member whose burden is keeping them anxious and depressed. Help them as well come to Jesus and exchange the yoke of burden for the yoke of trust.

NCFI Cares: Quick Prayers for Lent

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After he (Jesus) fasted for 40 days and 40 nights he was famished. (Matthew 4:2)

As we enter the beginning of Lent, 40 days before the Passion of Christ and Easter, many of us are seeking the Lord’s guidance in giving up something or adding something.

Some everyday things Christians give up for Lent are favorite foods and drinks, like chocolate,  coffee, or alcohol, or specific food pleasures, such as eating out, desserts, or meat. Others may give up an activity, like phone time, watching movies, or other distractions. When I asked Google AI, I received additional responses, including sleeping without a pillow, abstaining from gossiping, or refraining from following/watching social media postings. To add a little bit of humor, my favorite activity Google AI noted was to give up “being a backseat driver.” – I have to admit—my husband would probably enjoy my 40-day struggle—LOL!

Humor aside, I think the Lenten period is not only a time to meditate on our Lord’s suffering; it is a time to add habits to our walk with the Lord while growing closer to him and his sufferings. Some of those daily habits include reading your Bible, adding another prayer time, reading a Lenten devotion, attending church or Bible study, and others.

Since I am the NCFI prayer chair, I would make the following suggestions focused on Christian Nurses:

Choose to pray for one of the following :

Your national fellowship and nurses in your country
Nurses at your work, church, and community
International nurses and regional nurses
A global health issue that’s concerning
NCFI people

At first, adding more prayer to our already busy and over-committed lives sounds overwhelming, yet it doesn’t take more time to send quick prayers to the Lord. Especially if you have given up something for Lent. For example, whenever you think of chocolate, immediately pray, “Lord, I lift up all the nurses at my workplace and trust you with their care.” Or something along those lines.

Another list of suggestions focused on Christian nurses are:

Choose to do one of the following:

Send an encouraging text or email to a nurse or healthcare professional. It can be kind words, scripture, etc (Let the Holy Spirit guide you)
Post on a social media platform an encouraging comment for nurses to read
Bring goodies or something to share to work
Invite a colleague to a Christian nursing event (prayer, journal club, etc)

Spend the next few days seeking the Holy Spirit in ways he would have you grow closer to our Lord through this period of Lent.

NCFI Cares: Live Out the Advent Season

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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13, ESV)

Advent is a time of anticipation! One website describes the anticipation of advent as:

The weekly themes of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy are meant to guide people through a time of spiritual preparation and reflection. As each week of Advent passes, people are encouraged to align their hearts with the message of Christ’s birth. Advent is a time to prepare for the anniversary of Christ’s birth on Christmas and his second coming. 

This holiday season I encourage each of us to purposefully radiate each theme to all in need of the spirit of Advent. Take a moment, right now, and ask the Holy Spirit. Who do I know that needs Hope? Peace? Love? Joy? Let’s review each theme and discover the miraculous work of Christ.

Hope: As believers our hope is based on the truth of the Gospel through Jesus Christ.

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:24-25).

Our hope is not based on something tangible like leaders, policies, health, and economics. Instead, our hope is based on the truth found in scripture. When the tide and concerns of this world threaten to lead us to hopelessness, we open the word of God and find the tangible, realistic hope solidly rooted in faith. And Jesus said to him, If you can! All things are possible for one who believes. (Mark 9:23). Faith is believing in the teachings of scripture. Through our act of belief, the Holy Spirit grows our hope into a miraculous experience where we can confidently say, For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).

Peace: Maybe you know someone in need of the miraculous peace of Christ. First, Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and our peace is found in Him. Paul, who suffered extensively to spread the Gospel, blessed each believer in many of the Epistles: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” The Peace of Christ is a peace that surpasses understanding as described by Paul in the letter to the Philippines: ‘And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (4:7). Paul then gives us directions on how to obtain this miraculous peace: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (4:8-9).

Love: As believers, we are more familiar with the love of God and how it radiates to each one of us. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Jesus’ life exemplified how the love of God was to be dispensed to humanity, thus we can be the love of God to others by imitating Jesus. Once again Paul helps us out with his teachings found in 1 Corinthians 13: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (4-8).

Joy is the final theme for Advent and a great way to wrap up our Advent reflections of hope, peace, and love. We can have all three, yet if we lack joy, then we can’t shine. Joy is an outward expression of an inside state of mind. Jesus promised joy through himself and his teachings. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11). through the indwelling, continuous Holy Spirit And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52).

Let’s spread Advent to our colleagues, patients, friends, and family. For through us, they experience the tangible presence of hope, peace, love, and joy found in Christ Jesus.

Final Prayer: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)

Praying The Angelus Personally

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One of the simple catholic prayers I have discovered is The Angelus which is Latin for Angel. It is a prayer based upon the Angel Gabriel’s announcement or annunciation to Mary, the mother of Jesus found in Luke 1:25-38. Even before I was Catholic, I appreciated and adored Mary, a teenage girl visited by an angel and told she would give birth to the Son of God. The first thing she asks is “How?” (verse 34). I love her practicality. She is a betrothed virgin and preparing to marry Joseph. So, being around farm animals, she knows where babies come from. “How will I get pregnant?” Once Gabriel clarifies how she will get pregnant, she says the most important words humans can say, “Be it done to me according to your word.” (verse 38).

In brief, the prayer dates back to 1317 when monks would ring a bell 3 times a day, morning, noon and evening while praying three Hail Marys. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelus

Let’s look at The Angelus Prayer and then I will review how I make a personal prayer.

℣. The Angel of the LORD declared unto Mary,
℟. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;
blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

℣. Behold the handmaid of the LORD.
℟. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, …

℣. And the Word was made flesh.
℟. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, …

℣. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O LORD, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen. (US Catholic Bishops website)

The ℣/℟. notations our when the prayer is said in a group. ℣ is for the Leader/Priest to say. ℟ is for the response of the people. All lines are said when praying individually.

The prayer, with meditations or adaptations, helps me align my life with the most obedient, holy human to walk the earth besides Jesus–Mary. Let me show you how.

The first line states: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. When, I say the Hail Mary response, I think or meditate asking the Holy Spirit to indwell within me for my life and work. I may ask specifically for a challenging situation in my home or work.

The second line states: Behold the handmaid of the LORD. Be it done unto me according to thy word. During the Haily Mary, I meditate and ask that I too may also be obedient to the word God sends to me.

The third line states: And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt among us. During the Hail Mary, I meditate and ask that Jesus (the living Word) be evident in my life for others to see. I may ask specifically to be Jesus to a family or friend who doesn’t know the Lord.

I have personalized the fourth line: Pray for me, O Holy Mother of God. That I may be worthy of the promises of Christ. During the Hail Mary, I will ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in becoming worthy of Christ’s promises.

I have also personalized the beginning of the final prayer: Pour forth, I beseech Thee, O LORD, Thy grace into my heart, …. I conclude the prayer without personalization or meditation:

that, we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The conclusion is a powerful reminder of the truth and hope of the Gospel– the Birth, Passion, Cross, and Resurrection of Christ is complete.

I am left with no other response except to follow centuries of the faithful with the Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

When we personalize a prayer, we engage with our heart and spirit as part of a rich relationship with the Trinity.

NCFI Cares: You Did it to Me

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I recently sang an amazing song at church. The song was so poignant as to the needs of our patients, our neighbors and our community. May this beautiful song remind each of us that Christ is the one who embodies the broken and hurting in our world today (Matthew 25:40).

There’s a hungry one, lives in the street. There’s a thirsty one, without a cup to drink;
There’s a little one, with no shoes on her feet. There’s a family, sleeping in the rain;
And the one abused, will bever be the same;  The addicted one, with no one left to blame.

All of these people are my people.
All of these long to be free.
All of these are my beloved.
All of these are me.

Refrain:
So when you hold out your hand selflessly and give help to the stranger in need, then whatever to do to the least of these, you do to me.

In a prison, so far from home, I was lonely, so bitter and alone;
Evicted, illegal, incurable, different, despised. I was locked out, you took me in.
I was at the end; you helped me to begin. I’m a lot like you: sister, brother, friend.

So follow me, into the kingdom.
Follow me, you have been wise.
Follow me, you who have known me.
Right before your eyes.

Refrain (repeat)

The hungry, the lonely, the forgotten,
the neglected, the abandoned, the invisible,
the homeless, the battered, the frightened,
the hopeless, the dying.

All of these are me.



















































There’s a hungry one, lives in the street. There’s a
thirsty one, without a cup to drink;There’s a little one, with no shoes on her feet. There’s
a family, sleeping in the rain;And the one abused, will bever be the same;  The addicted one, with no one left to blame.  All of these people are my people.All of these long to be free.All of these are my beloved.All of these are me.  Refrain:So when you hold out your hand selflessly and give help
to the stranger in need, then whatever to do to the least of these, you do to
me. In a prison, so far from home, I was lonely, so bitter
and alone; Evicted, illegal, incurable, different, despised. I was
locked out, you took me in. I was at the end; you helped me to begin. I’m a lot like
you: sister, brother, friend. So follow me, into the kingdom.Follow me, you have been wise.Follow me, you who have known me. Right before your eyes. Refrain (repeat)The hungry, the lonely, the forgotten, the neglected, the
abandoned, the invisible, the homeless the battered the frightened, the
hopeless, the dying. All of these are me.  

NCFI Cares: Changing Shame Into Praise

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Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. (Zephaniah 3:19, ESV)

Recently, I was listening to teaching on the prophet Zephaniah. The teacher shared insight on how the Lord would fulfill his promise to Zion. The phrase, “I will change their shame into praise…” reminded me of an incident when I worked as a hospice nurse.

As a per diem or on-call home health hospice nurse instead of managing a group of patients, I would respond to the concerns that came in during the night or check up on patients admitted the day before. This was the case for a middle-aged gentleman who had been admitted into hospice a few weeks back. His diagnosis was liver failure related to cirrhosis of the liver caused by alcoholism. His assigned case manager wanted me to visit him over the weekend and check on his medication regimen and symptoms.

I drove to his house, and he happily greeted me when he opened the door. He was friendly, and we sat on the couch so I could complete his assessment. I asked questions about his symptoms, reviewed his medication, and educated him on how to adjust them for better management. After about an hour’s visit and thinking we were done, I packed my bag and we walked to the door, saying our goodbyes. I asked him my typical last question, “Is there anything else you need?”

My patient boldly replied, “Yes, there is. Can you explain to me why my family is so nice to me?”

I have to admit I was shocked to hear his question. His family assessment revealed a very supportive wife as his primary caregiver. I said, “I don’t understand your question. Your family is nice to you because they love you.”

To which he replied, “But, they shouldn’t.” I knew we weren’t done, so we both sat down and he proceeded to tell me his story.

“Years ago when my children were young, I was a horrible alcoholic. I went out drinking all the time. I spent my paychecks on alcohol instead of providing for my wife and kids.  At one point, when it was so bad, my wife kicked me out of the house. She went on to raise our three children on her own. We had been estranged for years before I got sick.”

At this point, my patient was getting emotional, yet he continued. “Recently when I was diagnosed with liver failure. My wife and children heard that I was ill. She reconnected with me. This was our house or her house. She had me move back in so she could take care of me. My adult children come and see me and assist my wife in caring for me.”

When he paused, and I knew he was done sharing, I said, “It sounds like, from everything you have said, your wife and family love you, and they have forgiven you.”

He immediately responded, “But why? Why would my wife forgive me when I was a horrible alcoholic?”

“Because she loves you. And your family loves you. I think the question is, have you forgiven yourself?” He stopped, and I could tell he was thinking about my question. About that time, his wife came home and she beamed with love for her husband. He shared with her our discussion and of course, she reiterated what we all knew, “I love you. Our kids love you and we forgive you!” I told him about our pastoral care services so he could talk more.

My patient felt shame about his previous life. He didn’t feel worthy to be loved, nor forgiven for his past sins and maltreatment of his wife and family. Yet, and I mean a big YET, God had already turned his shame into praise from his family.  My patient just needed to forgive himself and accept the forgiveness God had already imparted.

As nurses, we care for patients who feel the shame of sin and suffer the consequences. Alcoholism, drug addiction, abuse, promiscuity, and others. We are privileged to bring God’s love and forgiveness to those suffering from shame, rejection, and despair.

NCFI Cares: Double Portion of the Spirit

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Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken brom you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” (2 Kings 2:9, ESV)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elijah_throwing_his_mantle_on_Elisha.jpg

At NCFI, we are looking for ways to encourage the next generation of nurses. Whether through mentoring, fellowship, or networking; the global nursing community is focused on bringing along those nurses entering the profession. As a Christian, there are many biblical examples of older or mature believers reaching out to younger or less experienced Christians. We think of Paul and Timothy (1 & 2 Timothy).

There are Moses and Joshua. I wrote a few devotions on this leadership relationship and the wonderful advice Moses gave his successor.

Another mentoring relationship we may not be as familiar with is Elijah and Elisha. Elijah chose Elisha as his servant (1 Kings 19:19). Elisha accompanied Elijah for six years until it was time for Elijah to go to heaven. Then the time came for Elisha to assume the role of prophet. Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit.

The Lord grants Elisha’s requests and we immediately read how Elisha performs greater miracles than Elijah (parting of the waters, doubling of oil, raising the dead, etc).

As we think of the next generations, Elijah’s example can provide us with great insight into how we can create a succession plan.

First, choose someone who will replace you. This may sound hard to believe, but none of us will be in ministry forever. Today is the day you begin praying for your replacement.

Second, have the person work alongside you in ministry. Not just any task, but the tasks that you are currently doing. If you organize meetings, have the person organize meetings. If you write reports, have the person write reports. You get the idea.

Third, finally, plan on giving them a double portion of what you need to perform your ministry duties. Like Elijah, we can’t dispense the Spirit to others, but we can pray for them. We can give them more than we have had for ministry, such as more training, hours, and resources. Thus ensuring they would become more successful than we were.