I recently went to our local hospital to visit my sister and found myself lost and confused…which was not surprising. I am one of those people who can get lost in a bathroom if it has more than one door. I walked through the main entrance of the hospital thinking I would simply ask the receptionist for directions because I had forgotten the room number…but there was no receptionist. She was away from her desk…and it was Sunday afternoon. Nobody was in the lobby.
I sighed, remembering my cell phone was at home on the charger. I knew the room I needed was on the third floor and the last two numbers were 22. I thought, how hard could it be to find an elevator and make it to the third floor? Once there, I’ll simply ask at the nurse’s station and be on my way… First off, I had to remember which hallway to take, as there were many to choose from. It had been a while since I’d visited anyone, but I knew we usually took elevator D or G. The first elevator had people getting on and it went to radiology, the sign said, so I continued on.
I passed a few people along the way, all who obviously knew their way and had no time to notice me. For this I was glad, as I hate to appear lost or helpless. I’d keep looking and find it soon, I was sure. It seemed every elevator went to specific floors…with names…and I did not know the “name” of the third floor. I was starting to feel lost…and looked for a friendly face, but no one was around now. I tried to retrace my steps back to where I had come in, but wound up at double doors whose sign screamed, “Emergency Exit Only.”
Feeling lost and helpless, I whispered a prayer and started back down the hallway. A lady walked past me, then she turned and came back. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I saw you earlier down the other hallway and should have asked, are you lost?”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, ” I said. I have no idea where I am. I’m looking for the third floor, room 3122 I think. I’m not sure of the 31.”
She took a card out and said, “I’m going to room 3123, so it’s right next door. We’ll go together. Elevator D is right down here and to the left.”
We stepped out of the elevator and I thanked her for her help. She went ahead and I stopped at the nurse’s station to verify the room I needed. It was 3122…right next door to where she went. I walked past room 3123, saw her, waved and thanked her again. I would worry about finding my way out later.
On the way home, after I did find my way out, I thought, how wonderful is my God! In a hospital with several floors and hundreds of rooms, what are the chances of me simply running into a lady who was on her way to a room right next to where I was going? Definitely not a coincidence by any means! It was divine intervention by a God who knew I would get lost and need His help. He had gone before me and prepared the way. He is good like that… all the time. I thanked Him for watching out for me and said a prayer for the nice lady and her friend.
In a world filled with problems that seem unsolvable, how blessed we are to have a God who looks after us individually and precisely! Next time you find yourself feeling alone and like you don’t matter, remember these words from Jesus in Matthew 28: 20 … lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
