An Old Familiar Song

Walking through the halls of Spring Creek nursing home I hear a familiar song from an old, raspy voice: “O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever…” An elderly man was sitting in his wheelchair (a nurse standing by his side joining in) and he sang that old hymn with a smile on his face. Around him there were some of the loneliest circumstances…but in his heart he was before the throne of God, His Maker, giving Him the best praise his seasoned vocal chords could offer.

Take a stroll through the hallways of a nursing home sometime…stop and listen to people. Listen to the old woman in the hall calling out for help, while all the while she’s safe and sound. Pay attention to the mumbles of those who are trapped in their own minds, and listen to the names they repeat of decades past. Observe the names on the doors, and say a prayer for them. Look at the faces of the sons and daughters visiting their parents…gazing into the frames of old photos showing their healthy families with smiles on their faces, while tears are held back.

As we sit in the comfort of our homes…as we work during the day…as we sit down with family through the night…please remember those who aren’t so fortunate. The parents that call us, the sarcastic siblings that may torment us are like a vapor, just like our life (James 4:14), and they will one day vanish away. Then, someday, we may find ourselves in the halls of a nursing home longing for someone to care enough to stop and sing a hymn…just like that man who presently sits in the halls of Spring Creek. Will you find him?