A Powerful Presence
Richard Exley
January 1, 1997
What hurting patients need is someone who will honestly listen to them, understand their feelings, and not hasten to change the subject.
—Richard Exley My introduction to local church ministry, nearly twenty-five years ago, was a baptism by fire, or perhaps I should say, by sickness. A number of people in the church were hospitalized, and I went to visit, to encourage, to pray. But I felt horribly out of place. This was a world of science and medicine. What good could I possibly do? Of what value were Scripture and prayer compared to surgery, therapies, and miracle drugs? I was intimidated. Still, I faithfully visited the sick and sat with their families during those critical hours in surgery when things could go either way. I did what I thought was expected of me—administered Scripture and prayer. Not knowing what else to do, I simply tried to be there. I listened without saying much, mostly because I didn't feel I had a lot worth saying. Then I began receiving thank-you notes. "It meant so much to have you there when I was facing surgery." "I can't tell you how much strength I gained from your visit." I couldn't believe it. The little I did had helped? About two years later, I learned firsthand the dynamics of pastoral care. Nine days after our daughter was born, my wife, Brenda, hemorrhaged. I rushed her to the hospital. By the time we arrived, she was nearly unconscious from loss of blood. Immediately she was whisked away to surgery, and after I signed the consent forms, I was left alone with my fears. A host of terrifying possibilities set upon me. I paced the floor in agitation. Then my mother arrived. She didn't say anything, at least nothing I can remember, but I felt better just knowing she was there. Somehow I was strengthened, ...
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