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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion February 17, 2007 One Does Not Live By Bread Alone |
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Frontline Devotion for Saturday, February 17, 2007 by Brenda Kessler
(Today’s frontline devotion is a reprint of my devotion on 9-7-2005)
Editor's note: Brenda is a graduate of the The Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing
In 1959 a replica of Thorwaldsen’s “Christus Consolator” (“The Divine Healer”) greeted a first year student nurse, unfamiliar with the sights and sounds of a big city, as she walked into the lobby of the hospital that would be home for the next three years. At the base of the much-larger-than-life statue an inscription read:
“Come Unto ME
All Ye That Are Weary And Heavy Laden
And I Will Give You
REST”
I was that student nurse. I had the freshman jitters. I had many questions. “Would I be able to compete in this intimidating environment? Will these new student nurses from every state in the United States and a few foreign countries welcome me as one of them? Could I survive away from home, away from the security of Mom and Dad? Will I miss my boyfriend?” I paused in front of the “Christ Statue” as I later learned the student nurses called it. I paused for comfort and consolation and proceeded to the orientation session for first year students.
As I walked to the orientation session I reflected in amazement that a statue of Christ would hold such a prominent place in a nonsectarian hospital founded by a Quaker. I learned later that Daniel Gilman, the first Hospital and University president publicly voiced a hope when the hospital was opened in 1889 that some person “might place beneath this dome a copy of Thorwaldsen’s Christus Consolator.” His hope came to fruition on October 14, 1896, when the statue, cut from a single block of Carrara marble by a Copenhagen sculptor, was unveiled at the hospital.
That was the first of hundreds of times I paused at the feet of Jesus on my way to classes. It was the entrance we always used when we went from our dormitory to our classes. It quickly became apparent that I was not the only one that found comfort at the feet of the “Christus Consolator” statue. Patients, patients’ families, other student nurses, staff nurses, doctors, hospital employees, and visitors paused there frequently when entering the hospital.
Since that time the hospital has been expanded many times and the main entrance has been moved. The statue no longer greets one when he/she walks in the front door. However, it is still apparent that many patients, patients’ families, and visitors are able to find the statue. It is still evident that many find comfort and consolation at the Christus Consolator statue. When I return for class reunions or to visit relatives hospitalized there I am always moved to tears when I see some of the notes that have been left at the feet of Jesus. Notes of petition…notes of thanksgiving…notes of praise. People who are suffering have probably taught me more than anyone else that “one does not live by bread alone!”
Prayer: Thank you, Lord God, for helping us to see that we need you. Thank you for helping us to realize that we need more than bread to be nourished. Nourish us always with your spirit as well. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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