You Can’t Be Human Alone!
Friend, Macrina Wiederkehr is a gifted writer whose inspirational words have touched the lives of thousands of people throughout the world. However, Macrina may never have helped so many people, if it were not for a remarkable person who dramatically touched her in the first hour of her life. You see, when Macrina was born, the doctor thought she was dead. In fact, he pronounced her dead. But there was one person in the delivery room who believed in tiny Macrina. That person was one of the nurses.
In her autobiography, Macrina Wiederkehr wrote: “My own birth into this world began with a proclamation of death. I was proclaimed dead, set aside as not living. The nurse, I am told, took me, worked with me, and believed in the spark of life in me. In essence, she convinced me that I could breathe.” Well friend, that tiny baby responded to the warm embrace of that compassionate nurse. And as a result, little Macrina survived and flourished.
Years later, as she reflected on this transforming experience, she wrote:
“The doctor placed me aside and announced the sad news of my death, right in the middle of my birth. But God was good and gave someone enough hope to believe in me. She leaned forward, believed in darkness, what some folks refused to believe in light. She believed in me; and she held me as though the stirring of the eternal had just begun, as though the mystery within was just being born. And the joy of it is: She was right! And because of her hope in me I live!
Friend, I believe this dramatic story underscores a fact so obvious, that we are often disposed to overlook it. What I mean by saying that, is that no one ever comes into this world on his or her own strength. You see, you are alive because of someone else’s compassionate concern. But this is not only true of our first day on this planet! It’s also true for most of our life. In reality, we human beings cannot survive into adulthood without thousands of caring gestures being performed on our behalf. Sometimes we notice them. Often we don’t. However, the fact remains: you are here today because of someone’s loving intervention in your life.
It is also true, that we can learn something else from Macrina Wiederkehr’s experience. Because, just as the nurse took up the lifeless body of little Macrina and laboured intensely to bring life to her inert flesh, God, our Heavenly Father has entered our darkness to give us life and breath. In essence, God did this by hugging us into life. And, if we’ll let Him, He continues to restore us daily.
However Friend, there is a final lesson we can learn from Macrina Wiederkehr’s near tragedy. It is that we can enjoy renewal in our lives today, because God’s touch reaches us through the medium of fellow human beings. Macrina Wiederkehr, in her autobiography wrote: “But God was good and gave someone else enough HOPE to believe in me.” You see, God’s loving care is often channelled to us through others who meet us on during our life-time.
I believe that John Donne had an accurate insight into human nature when he declared; “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main . . .” The truth is, we can’t be human alone. We need to be closely related to God and to enjoy meaningful, fulfilling relationships with others.
"With God You Are Limitless"
Friend, in reading this message today, you may have been challenged to seek a more permanent and stable life in this chaotic and troubled world. Perhaps you would like to know more about how you can establish healthy, helpful and happy relationships? If so, we encourage you to write to Discovering A BETTER LIFE, P.O. Box 1540, Albany WA 6331 and ask for our FREE pamphlet titled “You Can’t Be Human Alone”.
You may also Phone your request on 98 418 418
Or Email us at: abl-alb@omninet.net.au
“Surround yourself with positive influences.
When you are surrounded by negative
Thinkers, image, or materials, it is
Easy to get bogged down in
Hopelessness.
Discovering A BETTER LIFE:
HELPING PEOPLE FIND HOPE
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