Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Stringed Release
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Stringed Release
Sacred Stories | Stringed Release
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. – 1 Peter 4:10
Today was going to be a good day. The patient was on the road to recovery and felt fine as he looked out the window, the skies filled with the promise he felt in his heart.
Without warning, his hopes shattered. Something was terribly wrong in his body, and he didn’t understand. Doctors were at work, but it was an irreversible problem. Not only would he not live through the day, he would likely not survive another 60 minutes.
Family members dashed into the patient’s room to say their goodbyes. The chaplain came to offer support. The patient could barely speak, but his brother relayed a message to the chaplain: “Please, find a guitar player. My brother loves the guitar and if he’s going to die, he wants to die to the sound of a guitar.”
The doctor told the chaplain to hurry. The man had very little time.
I’m a maintenance man at the hospital. I fix things for a living. But, in my spare time, I play the guitar, and I play in the band at my church.
I saw the chaplain hurrying toward me. He asked me to bring my guitar and play for a dying man I had never met. I looked at him as if he was out of his mind. “I’ll find you a good guitar player,” I offered.
“It’ll be too late; this man is dying now,” the chaplain replied. I heard a passage from Matthew inside my head: “Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.” With the conviction of the Lord upon my heart, I agreed to play.
I got my guitar, which I keep at the hospital because I stop in the chapel before work to play. It’s my way of honoring the Lord.
I went to the patient’s room. I didn’t even know his name. I played, “Came to My Rescue,” and then, “Draw Me Close,” and the man passed away.
The family thanked me and said, “He waited for you.” They said he refused to die until the guitar player came. Until this point, I thought I was to use my skills here as a maintenance man. God called on me to use the musical talents he gave me to help someone else. I now know he wants me to use all of my talents. It was one of the greatest gifts I have received.
Shared From the Sacred Stories Archive
Questions for Reflection
Can you think of a time when you were called upon to do something outside of your job description? Did you hesitate or did you answer the call? What did you learn from that experience?
What other gifts and talents do you have that might be used for God’s purposes?
Share this Story
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Twitter
- Share on LinkedIn
- Share by Mail
Listen to more Sacred Stories
The Gift of Citizenship/by adminOur Famous Patient/by adminFulfilling a Last Request/by adminThe Power of Being Present/by adminA Celebrated Farewell/by adminGod’s Perfect Timing/by adminGod’s Presence in Grief/by adminCompassion in Action/by adminThe Door is Open/by adminEncourage One Another/by adminRestoring the Soul/by adminSacred Stories, Sacred Ground/by adminOur Christmas Gift/by adminMessages Placed in My Path/by adminBeyond Words/by adminCare In the Time of COVID-19/by adminPrayer of Surrender at the End of Life/by adminWisdom from a Child/by adminGod Has This in Control/by adminReceiving Guests With Compassion and Kindness/by adminCommonSpirit Health’s Ever-present Values/by adminThe Gift of Time in the Giving Garden/by adminFair, with Occasional Clouds/by adminAlways a Reason/by adminIt Only Takes a Second/by adminA Thank You Note/by adminWith the Arms of Christ/by adminLadybug’s Christmas Tree/by adminJesus Lit Up Our World/by adminLike a Grain of Wheat/by adminSanta Finally Comes to Our House/by adminWhenever it Snows, the Memory of Him Comes to Me/by adminMany Gifts, Same Spirit/by adminMy Poignant Story/by adminLife and Death/by adminCan You Hear Me in the Noise?/by adminBagpipes/by adminTo Truly See/by adminMassaging Souls/by adminMargaret Was Not Alone/by adminThe “Push” for My Career/by adminA Grandmother’s Kiss/by adminUncle Jim/by adminWhat Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?/by adminI Have Seen the Face of God/by adminIncarcerated/by adminIce Cream: Good for the Soul/by adminA Cup of Cold Water/by adminSpirits Touching/by adminI Thought You Might Need a Hug/by adminFamily, Friends, and Faith/by adminJust Hands/by adminOur Central American Patient/by adminBrief Light/by adminA Childs Generosity/by adminEverything Is for a Reason/by adminThe Colonel/by adminThe Goodbye Song/by adminThe True Meaning of Christmas/by adminDo You Remember Me?/by adminLights for Timothy/by adminA New Friend/by adminStringed Release/by adminPrayer Shawl/by adminForgiveness/by adminLoad more
About Sacred Stories
As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of
the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
Sacred Stories convey ways our mission is being lived out by the gifted people in our ministry. We invite you to
use these stories for inspiration, as a meeting reflection, or to encourage discussion with your team.
Return to the Sacred Stories Homepage
View all episodes
By EthicsLab
5
22 ratings
Sacred Stories | Stringed Release
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. – 1 Peter 4:10
Today was going to be a good day. The patient was on the road to recovery and felt fine as he looked out the window, the skies filled with the promise he felt in his heart.
Without warning, his hopes shattered. Something was terribly wrong in his body, and he didn’t understand. Doctors were at work, but it was an irreversible problem. Not only would he not live through the day, he would likely not survive another 60 minutes.
Family members dashed into the patient’s room to say their goodbyes. The chaplain came to offer support. The patient could barely speak, but his brother relayed a message to the chaplain: “Please, find a guitar player. My brother loves the guitar and if he’s going to die, he wants to die to the sound of a guitar.”
The doctor told the chaplain to hurry. The man had very little time.
I’m a maintenance man at the hospital. I fix things for a living. But, in my spare time, I play the guitar, and I play in the band at my church.
I saw the chaplain hurrying toward me. He asked me to bring my guitar and play for a dying man I had never met. I looked at him as if he was out of his mind. “I’ll find you a good guitar player,” I offered.
“It’ll be too late; this man is dying now,” the chaplain replied. I heard a passage from Matthew inside my head: “Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.” With the conviction of the Lord upon my heart, I agreed to play.
I got my guitar, which I keep at the hospital because I stop in the chapel before work to play. It’s my way of honoring the Lord.
I went to the patient’s room. I didn’t even know his name. I played, “Came to My Rescue,” and then, “Draw Me Close,” and the man passed away.
The family thanked me and said, “He waited for you.” They said he refused to die until the guitar player came. Until this point, I thought I was to use my skills here as a maintenance man. God called on me to use the musical talents he gave me to help someone else. I now know he wants me to use all of my talents. It was one of the greatest gifts I have received.
Shared From the Sacred Stories Archive
Questions for Reflection
Can you think of a time when you were called upon to do something outside of your job description? Did you hesitate or did you answer the call? What did you learn from that experience?
What other gifts and talents do you have that might be used for God’s purposes?
Share this Story
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Twitter
- Share on LinkedIn
- Share by Mail
Listen to more Sacred Stories
The Gift of Citizenship/by adminOur Famous Patient/by adminFulfilling a Last Request/by adminThe Power of Being Present/by adminA Celebrated Farewell/by adminGod’s Perfect Timing/by adminGod’s Presence in Grief/by adminCompassion in Action/by adminThe Door is Open/by adminEncourage One Another/by adminRestoring the Soul/by adminSacred Stories, Sacred Ground/by adminOur Christmas Gift/by adminMessages Placed in My Path/by adminBeyond Words/by adminCare In the Time of COVID-19/by adminPrayer of Surrender at the End of Life/by adminWisdom from a Child/by adminGod Has This in Control/by adminReceiving Guests With Compassion and Kindness/by adminCommonSpirit Health’s Ever-present Values/by adminThe Gift of Time in the Giving Garden/by adminFair, with Occasional Clouds/by adminAlways a Reason/by adminIt Only Takes a Second/by adminA Thank You Note/by adminWith the Arms of Christ/by adminLadybug’s Christmas Tree/by adminJesus Lit Up Our World/by adminLike a Grain of Wheat/by adminSanta Finally Comes to Our House/by adminWhenever it Snows, the Memory of Him Comes to Me/by adminMany Gifts, Same Spirit/by adminMy Poignant Story/by adminLife and Death/by adminCan You Hear Me in the Noise?/by adminBagpipes/by adminTo Truly See/by adminMassaging Souls/by adminMargaret Was Not Alone/by adminThe “Push” for My Career/by adminA Grandmother’s Kiss/by adminUncle Jim/by adminWhat Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?/by adminI Have Seen the Face of God/by adminIncarcerated/by adminIce Cream: Good for the Soul/by adminA Cup of Cold Water/by adminSpirits Touching/by adminI Thought You Might Need a Hug/by adminFamily, Friends, and Faith/by adminJust Hands/by adminOur Central American Patient/by adminBrief Light/by adminA Childs Generosity/by adminEverything Is for a Reason/by adminThe Colonel/by adminThe Goodbye Song/by adminThe True Meaning of Christmas/by adminDo You Remember Me?/by adminLights for Timothy/by adminA New Friend/by adminStringed Release/by adminPrayer Shawl/by adminForgiveness/by adminLoad more
About Sacred Stories
As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of
the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
Sacred Stories convey ways our mission is being lived out by the gifted people in our ministry. We invite you to
use these stories for inspiration, as a meeting reflection, or to encourage discussion with your team.
Return to the Sacred Stories Homepage