“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11, NIV).

“For the last two days, I have spent several hours in the waiting room of the

hematology/oncology clinic while my husband had chemo. While I sat there working on my weekly Bible study lesson entitled ‘Heaven,’ I occasionally looked up and thought about all the people coming and going. There was a man in a wheelchair with just one leg, and there were several others in wheelchairs. One patient came on a stretcher. There were faces with expressions of sadness—and very few expressions of joy. Because the TV was playing, many patients were watching it, but there was almost no conversation between them. Shame on me for not starting a conversation with someone nearby to tell them about Jesus. As I am doing my lesson on ‘Heaven,’ I am thinking about all those there in that crowded waiting room, some likely anticipating heaven because of their pain or fear. Again, why didn’t I stop what I was doing and talk to someone?”

—Wife of a patient

I often ask myself why I don’t speak more often of Jesus to those who need Him badly. I know I love my Lord—yet, I miss so many opportunities to share that love with patients and colleagues.

For some reason, I find myself selfish with my faith. Even though I serve my patients sacrificially in their physical needs, I don’t often enough connect my faith to their need for Jesus. My faith is eternally important to me, internally important to me, but not so important in my conscious mind for them. I don’t truly envision their life without our Lord. I don’t truly mourn their future death, even though I am desperate for my own resurrection. What’s wrong with me?

I don’t know why I’m selfish with my faith, but I know I must change. Meanwhile, I will seek to share Christ in obedience to His command, trust the Holy Spirit to work His way through my selfishness and continue to pray that one day I will more often express my internal faith with lips that speak His name.

Dear God,

You were never selfish with your love for me. Help me to speak your love to those who need you.

Amen