Pastor Loses Blind Woman

Ann is a remarkable woman. Sightless, she lives on her own in the suburbs, and works in downtown Chicago. Every morning she walks two blocks to the train station and rides into the city. During the time her mother was dying, Ann was at the bedside as much as possible. The nursing home was about a mile from where Ann lived. One day she planned to come home from work at noon and go be with her mom and dad. Since my office was only one block from the station, I offered to meet the noon train and drive Ann to the nursing home.

I’m dependable. I'm never late. I keep my word. I'm like Maytag. I can be trusted. But that day I was at my desk working hard, when suddenly I remembered. It was 1:00 pm. Already an hour late, I ran to the station and searched. No Ann. I ran out to Main Street frantically looking in all directions. Spotting a police cruiser, I dashed over and blurted these ill-chosen words. “I was supposed to pick up a woman at the train station.” That got their attention, until hearing my story, then the officers lost interest.

After racing in circles for awhile, I ran to my office and called her home phone. No answer. I left a rambling apology on her answering machine. I wondered if it would be used as evidence in the trial. "Pastor admits responsibility for missing blind woman." I did not want to call her dad, find out Ann was not there, and have to confess: “I lost her.”

Eventually Ann called my office to find out if I was alright. My apologies were profuse and heartfelt. Then I said, “I promise I’ll be there tomorrow.” Ann replied, "That’s okay."

Has someone ever broken your trust? Failed to keep a promise? Has there ever been someone you counted on who did not come through? Something you believed in, but it did not work? In those broken promises and failed expectations, God is operating. Every loss invites you to trust in God alone. But sometimes when we lose, we get so fixated on what we've lost, we can't bring ourselves to trust God. We're like Eli who fell over backward and died when he heard that the ark of God had been captured by the enemy. We're like his daughter-in-law whose dying words were "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured," 1 Samuel 4:22.

If what I lose--job, spouse, health, investment, dream, freedom--causes me to lose hope, then my trust has been misplaced. Every loss invites me to trust in God alone.