Open Arms

When Max was a lap baby, he was very ill. He was having a difficult weekend breathing and had a fever as his parents sought medical help. Sunday morning in Montgomery, Alabama, a medical team made a diagnosis and decided that he needed to transfer to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. His condition was serious mandating an airlift to Children’s. Max got to take his first helicopter trip.

His illness was complicated because dad and mom could not ride the helicopter. They were anticipating a two plus hour trip. It would be an anxious and terrifying two hours. Max was in great care, but it was not momma.

Traveling Interstate 65 can be a nightmare and it was for mom and dad. Murphy’s Law grasped the moment shutting down the Interstate. Mom and dad had to travel back road routes to downtown Birmingham as anxiety, fear, and the unknown flooded their hearts and minds.

During this ordeal, Lisa and I were attending a homecoming at one of the churches I served in Hale Baptist Association near Moundville, Alabama. We were able to head to Children’s before Katie (mom) and Brian (dad) left Montgomery. Children’s was about an hour from us, the grandparents Nanna and Poppy.

I will never forget the moment we found Max’s room. Nanna ran to consult with doctors and nurses. I went to the little tent where a frightened little boy was uncontrollably crying. Our eyes met, we smiled at each other, and he reached for me. Unfortunately, we could not touch but we rubbed against each other with the clear tent touching our cheeks.

The doctors and nurse were wonderful trying the best of their abilities and training to comfort a traumatized baby boy. Very sick, separated from mom and dad, rushed into a helicopter, flown high in the sky, and placed in front of strangers wearing all manner of medical equipment to help him. When he smiled at me the nurses, in sweet voices, said, “Awe, someone knows somebody.” They were hesitant to allow Nanna and me into the room, but all that changed with a smile and raised arms.

Max and I have a special bond. I know that he was small, but traumatic events are memorable moments. Each time he sees me he hugs me and when he leaves, he says, “Love you, Poppy.” He loves to tease Nanna by calling her granny.

I had a church member ask me if God hears the prayer of a lost sinner. I told him yes and no to which asked, “What do you mean yes and no.” I asked him if there were children in the yard playing and one is injured and yells “DAD” what happens. He said all the dads looked. I said that is right, but who responds? He said the dad of the injured. A lost sinner does not have God as his father.

I said the prayer that God hears from a lost sinner is God save me. Where do you find that in the Bible?

 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 KJV

Max recognized me when he saw me. At that point he was too young to know our relationship, but he knew me.

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:16 KJV