EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH
To proffer healing is to comfort

By H. Murray Hohns

I closed my Honolulu office on Sept. 30, 1998. I had first opened a consulting office on the Mainland in November 1965, and I enjoyed a generally successful run for 33 years. I was 67 when I decided to give up working full time. My wife and I planned to leave on a six-week cruise to celebrate.

My work had always taken precedence over anything else for all those years. I was one of the in-early, stay-late people. I was at the office on Saturday and always had my briefcase filled with things to do. I traveled constantly as the firm grew and, as you might suspect, did not take care of myself, which resulted in a slight stroke at 58 and a mild heart attack at 60.

By the time I decided to slow down, six-plus years had passed since the earlier heart incident, years in which I took better care of myself. Though I always felt good, something prompted me to see Dr. Roy Chen, my cardiologist, the day after I closed my office. I'd met him in 1992 when I had that first incident, and over the intervening years we had become friends.

My visit with Roy changed my immediate plans. Instead of celebrating with a cruise to far-off places, I was being prepped for open-heart surgery. I met the surgeon the night before the procedure and we talked a little. I learned there was some risk to consider, even though it was small. After he left, I thought about that risk as I lay there in my room.

I remember feeling a sense of irony. Could my life end in the morning? That did not seem right to me. I asked God if this was all there was to life after all those years working and planning for the future, being on top of my game and finally ready to really participate in living. Did life just end like that?

There was no trauma, no pain, no excitement; no crisis was involved that night. I was alone; my wife was in California, visiting relatives. My daughter flew over from Kaua'i and looked in on me later than evening, but there was no fuss, just time to think. I thought about the vanity of life, what I had enjoyed, what I had missed and the poor timing of tomorrow's event.

The words of a chorus I learned long before came into my mind, and I began to quietly sing: "You are the Lord that healeth me. You are the Lord my healer. You send your word and heal my disease. You are the Lord my healer."

The words gave me comfort and hope.

I sang them again and again that evening. Those words prevailed for me that day, and I still sing them today. I sing them over and over, words of life, wonderful words of life.

God loves us and is our healer. "You are the Lord who healeth me."

What a miracle: He works for you as he turns those nice words into reality.

H. Murray Hohns of Makiki is a retired engineer and an associate pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship. Expressions of Faith welcomes written works from leaders in faith and spirituality. E-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 525-8035. Articles submitted may be used by The Advertiser in print, electronic or other forms.