Put Me In, Coach!

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. – Genesis 2:18-22

Chronic illness, pain and disability keep us from feeling like we’re “pulling our weight” in lot of areas of our life. But when a loved one is struck with sickness, it can be the worst kind of feeling.

Maybe it’s your spouse, the one who not only lives with you but provides most or all of your care. Maybe it’s that friend, you know, the one who brings you dinner and flowers and makes you smile on the hard days. Perhaps it’s your parents, aging themselves, while you remain the center of their world.

No matter who it is, it’s a guarantee that when they’re down and out, you’ll be the first on screaming, “Put me in, Coach!” We so badly want to help. We so desperately want to be for them what they have been so often for us.

And it hurts because we know that we can’t. We feel like we’re not a suitable helper. And so, today, I want to remind us all, myself included, of the invaluable ways that we remain a vital helpmeet for those that we love.

* You have the time and the compassion to offer them. You can empathize. You can listen.

* You can grant the blessing of a tender touch. You can wipe their brow with a cool cloth, perhaps with their head in your lap. You can hold their hand. You can smile as you look into their eyes.

* You can pray. Never underestimate the power there. You can kneel figuratively, if not physically, at the Father’s throne with them. Right that minute, right out loud.

* You can help them think rationally during times that they may be fevered or in deep pain. When is it time to go to the doctor? When is it time to take their next meds? Who can you call on for dinner help or a run to the store?

You are still the exact partner, friend, and help for your loved one, that God intended you to be. You are still irreplaceable and needed.

We can still be tagged into the game; we just need to play a different role than we did before, and that’s okay.

 
Father, help us to realize that we are still the perfect helpers that You created us to be to the people You have placed into our lives. Thank You for our helpers. Please bless them, today and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…

 

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May God Bless You,

Shelly