I prayed for this daughter who needed His smile
4 MINUTE READ
from Luke’s Journal 2020 | Ageing Gracefully | Vol.25 No.3

- It was just after “Rest Time”, with patients still sleeping,
the nurses were busy updating their notes.
I had “Out-of-Towners”, brought in from the Country,
and I wanted to see those “Long Distant” ones first. - One of those patients was a little old lady,
a Farmer’s wife, from way out “the Back”
She was a widow with no close relations,
no one to visit and take up the slack. - Almost engulfed in pillows and doonas,
the sides on her bed were raised like a cot. - I nearly walked past that small grey-haired lady,
so frail and alone, like they all had forgot. - So I put on my friendliest face
and mustered a heart-warming smile,
before announcing my mission,
to visit all the “Pressies” on file. - The Lady responded quite quickly,
when she realised I was one of her own,
“I used to teach Sunday School children,
when I lived with my parents at home.” - Then I asked her how she was going –
what the hospital staff hoped to gain.
She shook her head with much sadness,
“My body is wracked with great pain!” - “Perhaps I could pray for that with you,”
I said with all the confidence I had.
But she buried her face in the pillow,
and told me, “I’m probably too bad.” - “When I married, we moved to the country,
to the Bush and onto a farm.
Then little by little things took over –
the fences, the shearing, the barn. - It was quite a long trip for groceries,
even further for mechanical parts.
When you factored in Church on a Sunday,
it really challenged our hearts. - So I really don’t think that I’m worthy,
to ask for your prayers for my pain,
For I left God and His house off my “Do List”,
and didn’t go near Him again.” - My heart ached for this suffering lady,
who had toiled many years on the land,
So I pulled out a tract about Jesus,
and the Hymn that says he’s our friend. - I thought if I sang a few lines
of this wonderful faith-lifting hymn,
my suffering patient might remember,
and start putting her trust in Him. - But nothing like that even got started,
no memories with joy went on show,
until I launched into, “Jesus loves me”,
the Bible, it does tell me so. - Her face was beginning to soften,
the memories brought deep humility.
I rejoiced as I heard her saying,
“Perhaps you could pray for me!” - I reached out my hand and asked her
if her hand I could hold for a while,
Just while I prayed to the Father,
for this daughter who needed His smile. - And when we had finished our praying,
and my visit had come to an end,
I offered a tract about Jesus,
and the Hymn which says he’s our Friend. - The lady, unworthy no longer,
reached up with her outstretched hands,
and gladly read of the Saviour,
who saved her and taught her to dance.

Ian Johnston
Ian Johnston has been the Presbyterian chaplain at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle since 2012. He grew up in Coonamble, NSW, working as a computer programmer in Sydney till he was called to the ministry in 1973. He and his wife, Roseanne, served parishes in country NSW and northern Queensland till 2005, after which he lectured at Tahlee Bible College.