EXCERPT Chapter 3 Faith
Now faith is the assurance of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things (we) do not see and the conviction of their reality. (Hebrews 11:1) Faith in God had been a staple of my life from the earliest years, solidified by parents who realized its importance. It was, for the most part, something that required little analysis on my part, a virtue I simply accepted unquestionably. Because faith did not exist within the orbit of scientific truthmy professional preoccupation, while I accepted it sublimely, nevertheless, I gave it very little thought and reflection in my personal and professional life.
It was not until I reached the age of thirty-five that I was accorded a dramatic, supernatural dream vision from God that crystallized the significance of faith, that had always been there, though less formally incorporated into my life. Over the years I had even managed to inject faith into my professional work. Still the dream experience was a powerful wake-up call that resonates to this day.
On this occasion I went to sleep as usual. A few hours into slumber, a voice called out to me, Michael. Immediately my spirit stirred (my body was still asleep). When this rich, deep, large, mellifluous voice called my name again, Michael, immediately I recognized it as the voice of God. Fearful, but strangely, inexplicably talkative, and opinionated, I was mesmerized by the experience and replied somewhat presumptuously, Ive been praying to you, God, for thirty-five years. Where have you been? Is it only now you are responding? The questions emerged in a flood.
God waited patiently for my questions to cease and then He said: A storm is coming. Still excited, I replied, What do you mean, A storm is coming? I have heard the weather reports and there is no mention of a storm. While God waited patiently, my questions continued on unabated, although they were internalized. My sense was that God was not talking of a typical storm. Did He mean a family storm? Was it a personal health storm? Would I be disabled, for example, and lose my hands, so that I couldnt practice my dental profession? God waited for my emotions to subside before responding:
Everything will be all right.
I immediately felt an overwhelming sense of peace and serenity from my head to the soles of my feet. When I awakened immediately and abruptly, I was unable to sleep for the duration of the night. This awesome experience shook the core of my being as an expression of the glorious power of God. The experience lives to this day.
Pondering the epiphany I had received, I thought of Christ's biblical command to the apostles that they set out on the Sea of Galilee, only to be confronted by a storm. Peter attempts to walk on water and then sinks when he doubts. "O ye of little faith." The message unfolding to me was that Christ sometimes leads us into a storm, but He is always there to bring us ultimately to safety. In reminiscing, I discovered that examples of God's providence in my own life were extensive.
When I was working at Talmadge Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, as part of a post-graduate program, I received an anguished call from Betty Shipley, the wife of a former patient:
Dr. Callahan, Bill is over the deep end with grief and frustration over his terminal cancer. In your kindness, would you consider speaking to him? When hes not berating me, he simply ignores me.
I dont know if I can help, Betty, but Ill try.
It was a long trip from Georgia to their home in Easley, South Carolina, where Bill was sent to die. When I got there, I reflected immediately on whether it was worth the effort. Bills initial greeting was filled with sarcasm and anger:
Callahan, who asked you to come? Cant you religious do-gooders leave me to die in peace?
I tried in various ways to calm him down, pointing out the tenuousness of life for everyone. It took over an hour but finally he seemed to become more docile before falling off to sleep. The contorted face was child-like and serene.
Her eyes brimming with tears, Betty hugged me as I left.
I didnt realize how perceptive were my remarks to Bill on the fragility of life until, lost in reflective thought, I passed a yield sign, narrowly missed an oncoming car, and ended up in a ditch. I mused that Bill indeed might have outlived me. Near-death experiences like this one pointed out the finite quality of life, and the consequent necessity of using the years, months, weeks, days, hours, and minutes, wisely and productively.
On another occasion I was called to O.R. to provide emergency dentistry for a patient whose anesthesiologist had accidentally broken his tooth while the patient was undergoing open-heart surgery. Unfortunately about fifteen minutes into the surgery, power went out, and we were told that it would take at least two minutes to start the emergency generator.
During the crisis I held the mans head in my arms and prayed for him and the surgery team. After two minutes exactly, power came gloriously back; both the surgery and dentistry were successfully completed. I learned first hand the awesome lesson of the fine line between life and death. I discovered that life is replete with those kinds of examples. Unfortunately in the past I hadn't noticed.
True faith in God assumes that He in His providence will provide for us. As a natural transition from teaching Sunday school from my high school days, I was frequently asked to address youth groups. This left me constantly trying to come up with new themes and ideas to engage young people.
|