Raised from the Dead

I just got to see someone get raised from the dead.

It started out with me sitting in the library, reading an article…and the familiar yet dreaded beep introduced the call over the hospital intercom. “STAT-PACU. STAT-PACU. STAT-PACU. STAT-PACU.”

As I reluctantly got up I wondered where exactly the PACU was. I asked our secretary since her office is on the way. Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. Whoever it was was coming out of surgery.

I found my way down to PACU, and lying in the middle of what seemed like 20 or so folks wearing doctor’s white coats or surgeon’s scrubs was that woman. They were repeating the names of drugs, or asking about equipment, and then suddenly the commotion died down. One voice spoke. “Clear.”

There was a deep snap, a jolt of energy through the woman’s body, jerking her limbs…and then the regular beeps that signified a heart pumping blood again.

The commotion started again, more orders for medicines, more commotion, does she have any family here? Where would they be? I felt lost in the midst of this. I’m just the chaplain! I don’t want to get in anyone’s way. I’m just here for whatever they need me for.

There started to well up within me a surge of emotion. I started to realize what had happened. I just got to see someone get raised from the dead! I wondered how the family would react. One of the nurses told me they might need me to go out and tell them. I was curious to see the family…how would this affect them? Would they be happy to hear that their mother was alive? Amazed? Angry?

At that moment, I saw the surgeon going to talk to the family. I got up to go with them.

“Who are you?”

“I’m the chaplain.”

“You’d better not come along. It would scare the heck out of me if I saw someone in a suit coming to talk to me.”

…

When Jesus arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”

They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. –Luke 8:51-58