A few weeks ago, I made a trip to the emergency room. The moment I walked in, I knew this was going to be a long, eventful evening. Every chair was filled, and the hospital staff was triaging patients in the waiting room. I wasn’t sure I could stand the wait and almost left at one point. Instead, I changed my frame of mind and looked at the experience as a challenge. I would stay, pray, observe, be thankful, and look for what God had to teach me.
To my right, a lady was yelling at a security guard about the long wait. Another woman was hanging on to her son with both arms as he screamed about what appeared to be a broken leg. A young girl across the room held her side, tears flowing, as she tried to find a comfortable position in her chair. The list could go on.
A few seats down from me, an elderly woman with leg braces and a giant bag at her feet was watching the crowd calmly. She looked frail, but every now and then she stood up with effort and asked if anyone needed food. She made the rounds, walking slowly, handing out crackers and other snacks. “Anyone need their phone charged?” she would call out, holding out a small charger. This angel even made sure everyone had a heated blanket, befriending the nurses as they walked through and gathering up blankets.
Of course, I wanted to know her story. We ended up talking for hours (we had plenty of time). She was 90 years old and had been a bus driver for almost 35 years. Life had handed her both good times and tragedies, but through it all, she had been a server. A giver. She was the type of bus driver who would help the bullied child feel like a winner. She would wait a few extra minutes for the child who could never make it to the bus stop on time. She even gave away her lunches many times for the child who forgot theirs. She treated everyone like family, and they were drawn to her. I asked if she was in pain, because as we sat talking, I could see that her arms and legs would shake. She seemed to be trying to hold back shivers of shooting pain. Her response: “Well, if I stop and think about it, I really am, but what good would that do? I want to be a blessing to as many people as I can before the good Lord calls me home. When pain or sickness comes, I can either be mad at God, or I can trust God and grow. I find that helping others helps me grow.”
She was alone, and it appeared no one at the hospital had noticed her. Her reply? “The Father is always with me. I am never really alone.” As we paused our conversation, 
we heard one patient say to another, “If I knew someone who could pull some strings, I could get in faster! You just need to know the right people around here.” As soon as I heard those words, we looked at each other and smiled. We were thinking the same thing. We did know someone, and He was still in control, even in a chaotic waiting room. This precious angel was called back after hours of waiting and serving, and we all cheered when her name was called. She had helped everyone in that room. We were fed, warm under our blankets, and holding fully charged phones, all because of this emergency room angel.
This morning, my devotion paralleled her story. It told of a little boy who was fearful of going to bed because he was afraid of the dark. Instead of giving him a nightlight, his father stayed in the dark room with the boy until he fell asleep.
“Are you there, father?” asked the son, with a quiver in his voice.
“Yes, my son,”
“I can’t see your face,” the boy said.
The father replied, “But I’m looking at you, and I’m smiling.” The little boy drifted off to sleep, and even though he couldn’t see his father or feel his touch, he believed his father’s words and rested peacefully.
We are never alone, no matter how dark it looks. God’s face is always turned toward us, regardless of our circumstances. He has you, me, and everyone who has ever waited through a long, painful night. He holds us close wherever we are. And sometimes, he sends someone like this sweet emergency room angel – a servant heart – to remind us he will take care of us, and that all will be well.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, because the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6
(Note: We owe a huge thank you to nurses, doctors, and staff who work tirelessly, and many days feel unappreciated. You are all my heroes, and you ARE appreciated. Always! Oh, and this visit happened weeks ago, and all is well. Just a hiccup in the road, and another learning moment.)