The Hospital Chronicles 6 - A New Perspective

A New Perspective

by Hans Tullmann
January 28, 2009, 2am

God has just given me a new perspective of his love, peace, and provision. I’m not sure if it’s from the drugs, the Holy Spirit, or both. I accept it. God has provided each of us everything we have ever needed. Imperative – eternal – indefinite – forever – always. We have the air, the organs, the nutrients, the food, the money, the jobs, the abilities, the brain, and our very existence—we have these things because God’s loving hand is on each of us. We breathe because he has faithfully given us the health and air to do so. Have you walked through a hospital lately? I have. I walked 4 rounds after breakfast and lunch. I walk past the hurting, broken, and the sick. People that can’t rightly breathe, walk, eat, move, or function in some way. I walked past them today. Not because was better or luckier or worked on being a healthier person necessarily—I walked because of the legs, stamina, and ability God gave me. The things that we have are from him—in fact, I couldn’t even say he gave them to us—because they are still his. EVERYTHING we have is his.
I read through the story of Moses and the Israelites escaping from Egypt in the book of Exodus. God told Pharaoh, “Let my people go”, and the poor guy just wouldn’t do it. God brought down the plagues on the Egyptians: Blood, frogs, lice, flies, dead cow disease, boils, hail, locust, darkness, and the death of all first born sons. As I was entranced by this story, I started to wonder how the God of love could bring down so much destruction on humanity. Then I thought – wait a minute… Everything we have is his. He created humans, animals, and plants. Who was around to question his ethics when he was forming man out of dirt? Would someone have said, “that’s not fair!” or “What a cruel thing to do!” When God breathed life into creation—it wasn’t creations’ life he breathed—it was his divine life flowing into life forms. The life and creation that live is his. The water is his—he can turn it into blood if he wants to. Our healthy body and immune system is his—he can break it, boil it, or even take it. It’s his. The food we eat, from the money we make, from the job we work at—are all his. He can take the food, ask for the money or eradicate the job, because these things belong to him. The people in our lives. Our relationships. We don’t own people—in fact, we don’t even own ourselves. We’re his.
Everything is God’s, but have you ever thought about how he’s met our needs? We need air, water, food, clothes, and shelter, among other things. For every one of these needs—God has provided. But not just on the first day we were born, but everyday since that time. God has always given us everything we need. Prove me wrong. Starving kids in Africa are still alive (who may appreciate their weekly bowl of rice more than we thank God for our American abundance). The paralyzed woman still has her breath. Every single person who is alive right now (reading blogs) is so because of two reasons: 1) Everything we have is his and 2) God has always given us everything we have ever needed.
Being in the hospital gives a person a new perspective. We live because God has given us life. But sometimes I live my life like it was mine and I am the one who provides for my own needs. I think the health, the job, the money, the food, and the life is mine—which must be the result of my labors and abilities. But what happens when God decides to take back what is his? My reactions can vary from being confused, hurt, worried, sad, or even outraged. However, it’s just a mix-up about who is who. God is the owner and provider—and we are the cared for property. Yes, property:

Property: a section of land [or dirt shaped like a man] that belongs to someone.

Why do we get offended being called property? Do we think we are above being owned or bought? Some agent, independent of us, has ownership of us and someone has paid a price. We like to dress-up and play games like we own ourselves. Then life happens. Your world unravels around you like layers of an onion, stripping away any safety or security or well being you thought you had. Things and people you depended on, fall away like pretend clothes. You are alone and naked, without protection from the stones.
Then we look up. God is reaching out his hand to us… but the thing is… he’s been reaching the entire time. He’s been reaching out our entire life. And in his hand—is everything we need. He has the love, food, shelter, job, money, and safety that we require. He longs to give us these things. God has the compassion of a father giving good things to his child. We’re his children and he’s stretching to reach for us. God waits.

American poet and songwriter, Bob Dylan, once asked the essential question, “How many times must a man look up fore he can see the sky?” What does it take for us to look up and see God’s hand? I think it’s different for each person. For some people it will take a conversation, an experience, a journey, a blessing, a curse, a thought, a feeling, acceptance, rebellion, and maybe even plagues. Whatever we make ourselves go through—God is there. He’s waiting. His hand is open. Everything we have is his and he has always given us everything we have ever needed. So my question is:

How has God helped you in your life?

If you would like to share 1 sentence including your name and occupation, e-mail me at htullmann@gmail.com and I will collect your experience to share with others.

For example,

“God has helped me by bringing me from death to life.” Hans Tullmann, teacher