The Light

The man was dead.  I had led a team of healthcare professionals through all of the appropriate protocol and we had done all we could.  We even had two people praying quietly the whole time.  But this time it didn’t matter.  The man stayed down.  His heart refused to respond.

I finally had to make the call to discontinue resuscitation efforts.  It’s a call that I hate making.  It makes me feel so helpless. But it’s completely necessary.  We disconnected our equipment and cleaned up the area.  All of my crew but one left the house.  I was left alone with the body and my partner for the day.

As I looked at the lifeless body laying on the floor I considered once again the tragic nature of death.  Too young.  Someones father, husband, son.  The attributes differ by case.  Some deaths are harder than others but it always affects someone doesn’t it?  Even those who are ready to go leave loved ones here that have to grieve and continue to live. 

As all of these thoughts were swirling through my head I felt my spirit begin to stir.  Does the last heartbeat have to be the end?  Isn’t there something that can be done?  Didn’t Jesus come to bring life?  Didn’t He raise the dead and command us to do the same in His mighty name (Matthew 10:8)?  

I looked at my partner and said, “Do you believe that God can raise the dead?”  He looked at me and said, “Absolutely.”

Right then a couple of police officers came around the corner ready to get the information they needed to complete their reports of the incident.  I looked straight at them and said, “We are going to pray for this guy for a couple of minutes.”

I saw their eyes get a little wider and the closest one said, “Sure…okay.”

I grabbed the white sheet and pulled it back.  We laid hands on the still body and prayed.  We prayed as we felt led by the Spirit.  We commanded life, we prayed in tongue’s we did everything we felt led to do.  But the man didn’t wake up.  He didn’t breathe.  His heart stayed silent.

I stood and stepped to the officers and told them praying was just another part of doing everything we could.  “Oh yes…of course”, they responded. 

This time there was no resurrection.  But that’s not really the point is it?  The point or crux of this matter is being willing to take the Light with you wherever you go.  It’s being willing to let the Light shine bright no matter what the circumstance. 

I want you to know that it’s okay to let the Light shine no matter where you are.  At work, at school and home or anywhere else.  If we are responding to the promptings of the Spirit it’s going to be okay and safe.

You may not see the result you hoped for but, as the Lord just told me this morning, don’t ever underestimate the power of the Light.  What impact did us praying have on those two police officers?  What impact did it have on my partner?  On me?

But it’s important to know that we have a choice.  We can shine or we can remain in darkness.  Consider a lamp in a dark room.  There is no light until it’s switched on.  A lamp switched off is us living and being conformed to the world.  But we are switched on when we decide to live for Him, to be changed by Him, to fall desperately in love with Him.

John 1:5 says that the darkness will never overpower the Light.  Sometimes that’s hard to see especially in situations like this where it seems like death or tragedy has won.  But when Light is switched on it reaches far and wide and deep and we might never know just how much it touched.  But never underestimate it.  And I guarantee you because I believe scripture is true, the resulting advancement of the kingdom, of love, will be far greater than any perceived victory by darkness.

Blessings,

Jesse and Kara Birkey

www.reflectministry.com

jbirkey@reflectministry.com

twitter.com/JesseBirkey

http://www.facebook.com/reflectministry

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