Sacrifice

Three weeks ago my sweet mother had major surgery.  Her surgery took place on the Wednesday before Easter.  We were told to expect a 3- to 5-day stay after surgery.  In my mind, I split the middle and expected to be home by Saturday.  I had most of the Easter outfits for my family of five ready, minus a pair of shoes for my youngest. 

From the first night, I realized quickly what the doctor kept repeating to me...."This is a major surgery.  She won't just bounce back."  Oh, was the doctor right.  The weakness that took over her body is still a force to be reckoned with even now.  The fever, infection, nausea, and delusions all took a toil on her over the next few days.  She lost pound after pound as she had nothing but ice chips for over a week.  My spunky, fiesty, and determined mother was now shriveling with each day. 

I stayed with her at night to allow my dad to be able to get a good night's rest at the hotel.  Often I barely put an hour of sleep together before she got sick or a nurse came in to take vitals.  By Saturday I was worn down and emotional, and I realized there was no way that I would make it home for Easter.  With that realization and knowing that I would miss the worship services of Resurrection Sunday, I began to focus on my own personal worship time.  I started thinking of all the ways Jesus Christ sacrificed for my salvation.  He was beaten and bruised, scorned and mocked.  His flesh was ripped and his own disciples turned on Him.  Yet he didn't relinquish the job.  He was without sin, yet sacrificed His life for the sins of the world. 

The thought of His sacrifice was the starting point of my worship in a little waiting room down the hall from my mom's room.  He gave His life, His being, His kingship, His throne, His flesh, and His blood.  He gave of himself so that I might have life eternal.  As I let my mind wrap around the meaning of sacrifice, I came to an amazing place of thankfulness.  Thankful, yes, for Jesus' sacrifice.  But also thankful for the opportunity to sacrifice for my own mother.  Instead of being in my new Easter outfit, singing a few hymns, listening to a sermon about the resurrection, and then eating a family dinner, I was getting to live out sacrifice in a hospital room.  I was given the priviledge of giving up something for someone else.  Instead of feeling sad that I was missing out at home, I was flooded with peace and joy in abundance. 

Since coming home from the hospital, I've been keeping up my household and continuing to see about Mom.  She's finally showing some signs of recovery but it's very slow.  Each time I go to her house to help her shower, clean her house, or get her groceries, I think about the sacrifice of Jesus.  And I think of the awesomeness of getting to sacrifice for others so that we have a small glimpse of what Jesus did for us. 

"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name."  Hebrews 13:15