Thursday 21 January 2010

Life is fragile

Dr B was taken to hospital last night. In fact he ended up being taken to two hospitals. First by our local pompiers to St Julien en Genevois in France, that time I got to sit with him in the ambulance. Then, about an hour after a very frightening incident of his heart stopping to work, he was driven in another ambulance to the Genevan cantonal hospital and I managed to go after him in a taxi.
At about 4am I was allowed to go and speak to him. He looked alot better by then and was rather chattier than might be expected given the time of the night. In classic Dr B mode he said the one thing I could do for him was to sort out the stuff relating to the forthcoming German version of his Phd! So romantic! The rest of our conversation seemed to resemble a rather bad American movie of the kind I despise most, with us looking into each others eyes and saying I love you
The Swiss doctors think he has viral pericarditus (inflamation of the sack that contains the heart), the French doctors think there might be something more. He's bleeding, he's tired but he is alive and for that the tears falling onto my keyboard give thanks.
At Karin's ordination, and also 10 days ago when our new general secretary began his time in office by preaching, we heard these wonderful words from the book of the prophet Isaiah:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
Because you are precious in my sight,
and honoured, and I love you ...

This evening before I go to bed I think about how precious the one I love is to me. I think of the tens of thousands in Haiti who are not as lucky as I am to get their loved ones to good health care easily. Not because God cares less for them than for Dr B but because human beings across the world have still not caught up with God's standards of justice for all not just for the privileged. We have not been faithful enough to the practicalities of the idea that each of is is precious for God the creator.
Stephen I pray that you will get well. People of Haiti I pray for justice, liberation and tangible hope for you all. We are all precious in teh sight of a loving God.
In the meantime I give heartfelt thanks that one of the tags I shall file this under will be "life".

5 Comments:

Lythan said...

I'm so glad that those words brought comfort at a time you didn't expect and didn't want to happen. I'll be praying for Steven - and you :)

Callie said...

Your blog is often wise and inspiring Jane, but tonight it brings comfort too, while reminding of the terrible injustices that still prevail in our broken world. In my heart, along with the people of Haiti, I also have you and Stephen.

Petra said...

Guten Morgen Jane - und ich hoffe,dass es wirklich ein guter Morgen für dich und besonders für Stephen ist. Ereignisse sind manchmal furchtbar und ohne unseren Glauben an Gott manchmal auch kaum ertragbar. Ich wünsche dir viel Kraft und Gottes Hilfe für Dr Bs Genesung. Ich bete für euch. Petra

janetlees said...

Thanks for calling last night. bob and Hannah also send their love to you both. Take care of each other.

Annie said...
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