He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. John 1:10-11 (AV)
Lord, today I have had no time with you alone. I have longed all day for a break, just to come back to you and tell you that I love you above all else. But this was not to be. I had a whole day's work to get through: fifteen list admissions, twenty patients on the wards and none of them altogether well, scores of forms to complete, many for `serum rhubarb' (a favourite investigation) and, as well, I was on call at night for all medical wards and all emergencies. The `bleep' continually interrupted my flow of work. I have never been so reluctantly indispensable in all my life -- and never so exhausted.
My patience was wearing thin, Lord -- I cut short the fat gentleman who was telling me about all his aches and pains -- I walked straight past the bed of that elderly lady dying of pneumonia, whose eyes were dulled with incomprehension, staring at the mad world passing by -- I couldn't bring myself to stop: I felt so tired within. Tears welled into my eyes: what a failure of a day! Have i not failed you, my sweet Lord, repeatedly, today? Have I not walked straight past you without a loving word of comfort? But I must disappear before colleagues see my tears.
A comforting arm came around my shoulders and she, my senior house officer, simply whispered: `Don't worry. We've all been through this'. I cried with tears of relief. Your words to St Paul came back to me: `My power is strongest when you are weak. My grace is all you need' (2 Cor 12:9 GNB).
Be it unto me, Lord, according to your word (Lk 1:38).
Further reading: 1 Cor 1:26-29. Heb 4:14-15.
L-MN