Lisa was a nurse doing her nightly rounds on Wednesday night. Usually nothing exciting happens during her rounds. There was a man in a room alone at the end of the hall that always caught Lisa’s attention, though. He was a very quiet man and seemingly had no family. He usually never said anything when Lisa passed by. Tonight was very different, though. When Lisa entered the man’s room to check on him, he looked at her with an intense expression, grabbed her wrist, and begged her to call his daughter. A daughter? Lisa was very surprised, but assured the man that she would call his daughter to let her know that the man was at the hospital. The man also asked for some pen and paper. Lisa dutifully took down the daughter’s phone number and proceeded onward with her rounds.
After Lisa finished her rounds, she sat down and called the man’s daughter. Lisa told her that her father was admitted into the hospital a few days ago. The daughter was very frantic and begged Lisa if she can immediately see her father. Lisa assured the daughter that her father only had a minor heart attack and that he is expected to fully recover. Lisa told the daughter that she could see her father the next day. However, the daughter cried and begged Lisa if she can come right away. One year ago, the daughter and her father had a big fight over her boyfriend. The daughter left home and never came back. She tearfully choked and stuttered and told Lisa that her last words were “I hate you.” Lisa relented and told the daughter that she could come right away.
About 15 minutes pass by as Lisa is finishing up her paperwork, something tells her that she should check up on the man. As Lisa enters the room, she is shocked to find that the man has died. Lisa couldn’t believe it. As Lisa ponders how the man could have slipped so quickly, she hears the sounds of running footsteps behind her. Lisa turns and sees the daughter and somberly tells her that her father has just passed away. Lisa hugs the daughter and they both cry. The daughter falls over her father’s body and apologizes profusely and incoherently. As Lisa silently looks on, she notices that the man is a clutching a note. Lisa gingerly takes the note and finds that it is addressed to the man’s daughter. The note reads: “To my dearest daughter, Mary. Please know that I have and will always love you. I forgive you.”
There may be times that we have drifted apart from God. We may have sinned and feel separated from God and be filled with such guilt and shame that we think that we can’t come back to God. However, God has always and will always love us. He will forgive us our sins if we confess them and welcome us back with open arms. With God, we can never return home one day too late. Will you return back home to God?
David Quach
