It’s All About Grace

I decided to take a different path into the hospital where I work in Birmingham, AL recently.  I walked through one of the newest sections of the hospital and was still amazed at the gorgeous architecture.

On this day, I prayed silently with each step I took, “God, help the patients in the hospital today to find a healing and caring place.  Thank you. Amen.”

As I walked down the wide corridor where our “Sanctuary” room is located, a quiet room where staff and families can prayer and reflect, I decided to stop in to say a few more prayers of my own.

As I walked up to the door, I could hear someone preaching with great energy and enthusiasm.   “I didn’t know we had a worship service in here,” I thought to myself, so I decided to go in and listen.

The preaching stopped when I opened the door and a bright, articulate, young man named LaDarrius said, “Come on in, I’m just practicing my sermon.”  I looked around and noticed we were the only two people in the room.  “What are you preaching about?” I asked and encouraged him to keep going.

“I’m preaching about grace.  It’s all about grace.  I want people to know that we don’t live by the law anymore and that we are forgiven because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.”  I asked him to tell me more, and we sat down together and began a 15 minute conversation on grace and what we both believed it meant in our lives.

I learned that LaDarrius was preparing for his first sermon that he will preach in his church in a couple of months.  His pastor has been shepherding and guiding him.  I was impressed with his preparation for his sermon so far in advance.

I encouraged him and told him that many preachers preach all of their lives and miss this important truth that he is preaching.  I asked him if I could pray for him and I said a short prayer as we grasped hands sitting next to one another.

“God give LaDarrius the confidence and boldness to keep on preaching about grace all the days of his life.  Help him to remember that without grace (undeserved love and forgiveness) every single one of us would be in trouble.  Amen.”

As we left LaDarrius told me he is a Patient Care Tech at the hospital and that he transports patients to and from surgery in order to get them where they need to be.

As I walked away, I thanked God for LaDarrius and many other staff at the hospital, who by their presence, will make this a healing and caring place.

LaDarrius, you are right, it’s all about grace.   Preach on, my brother, preach on.

Amen.