Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 72 - Winter (Jun-Aug) 2022 > God - a Combination of Love and Mathematics (by Stenoy Stephenson)
God - a Combination of Love and Mathematics
by Stenoy (Steve) Stephenson
The patient was not in bed, there were flowers and greeting cards on the window, the coffee certainly was cold, seemed like it had been there for a while, a few papers and magazines on the bed. As I walked closer to the bed I saw the patient sitting on the chair in the corner of the room beside the wardrobe. She looked frail, weak, skinny but with a smile on her face. It was indeed a welcoming and joyful smile as I introduced myself seeking her permission to sit down for a conversation. She was more than welcoming as she asked me to sit down. She started off saying "I wasn't a religious person all my life. I didn't believe in God until I was hospitalised here six days ago".
I was fascinated to hear this lady speak with enthusiasm and a joyful ecstasy. She was full of life and her face had a radiant gleam as she continued to speak. She said, "I didn't believe in God, but the last three days of my stay here has proved me wrong. I am forced to believe that indeed there is a God…. (a few moments of silence as she paused) when I see the love and care I receive from these people who look after me I am forced to think about God. I was helpless when I came in. The compassionate care they provide…. (more silence) certainly there is something divine here."
Spellbound I sat in silence for a while, before long she asked me, "Steve, how is this possible? How is it that they love and care for me? Is everyone trained to be like they are? This is not humanly possible…" She was shaking her head as though she was contemplating. She spoke softly, slowly, clearly with emotions on her face. As I continued to listen empathically and to remain authentically present, I noticed tears swelling up in her eyes. She was trying to speak but words were not coming out. With much struggle she let go of her tears and said, "I don't remember when, the last time I was loved and cared for. I think its God….. (silence as she continues in tears). I think God is a combination of love and mathematics".
Walking out of that room, I didn't want to continue my visitation for the day. I went to my office and sat down, contemplating on the words she spoke. "I think God is a combination of love and mathematics". If that's what she has experienced at the SAN, then it must be true!!! I wonder how she came to that conclusion.
"God is love" is a commonly used phrase. Songs sung, sermons preached, conversations unfold on this theme. But how often do we hear one say, "Yes, I experienced the love of God". "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God." 1 John 3:1,2.
'Mathematics' was beyond my mind's comprehension. I sat in my office with eyes closed replaying those words the lady had spoken… "What happens at the SAN is a combination of love and mathematics". It was an eye opener for me to reflect on what happens at the SAN. As I often do, when I find no answers in life's quest, I search the scriptures. Therefore, I took the scriptures and asked the Holy Spirit to show me what is the mathematical formula that this lady experienced in her sick bed. Lo and behold, the good Lord, revealed an arithmetic formula in the scriptures which I believe is being practised at the SAN.
II Peter 1:5-7 "For this very reason, make every effort to ADD to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." Scripture is asking us to embrace and practise addition. Faith is progressive! The degree of faith varies from one individual to another. To the faith that is in us, we need to bring in the formula of addition. Goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Isn't this what the lady sitting in the corner of the room was talking about? Isn't this arithmetic formula that's working so beautifully at the SAN?
A multi-cultural group of people, working different shifts, an inter-disciplinary body that works together, busy schedules, various demands by most patients, etc. but, irrespective of all, the common ground for all individuals involved in the hospital is the patient. Christianity in action, Caring for the body, mind and spirit of the patient. The other day as I walked through the wards, I met a nurse in tears, and she told me that she tried her best to help the patient, but the patient was very angry, irritated, and unhappy with her. The patient spoke harsh words, but she was willing to shed her tears outside the room and determined to go back into the room to continue caring for the needs of the patient. She had a spirit of goodness and knowledge. She knew she was not the reason why the patient was behaving rudely. It was the agony that the patient was going through. Bidding me goodbye, the nurse says, "This patient has gone through a lot in life, I need to be by her side".
Bill Crowder writes that "It is the Spirit that matures us into the image of Christ so that we can give glory to the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 3:1-3
I Peter 2:1 "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind". In other words, SUBTRACT yourself of all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind.
Wayne Grudem feels that the 'therefore' refers to the command 'love one another' in I Peter 1:22. This verse explains in more detail what is involved in loving one another 'earnestly': one must put away (give up, get rid of, subtract). How? As we are enabled to do so by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13). He gives us the desire and power to cast off these attitudes and actions, but we must still carry out the "casting off" for that is our responsibility. We cast them off because we now have the desire and power to do so. Attitudes and habits which are harmful to others… genuine love requires subtracting one's life of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
All of the habits and attitudes in this vice list represent violations of the fundamental command "love your neighbour as yourself" (Mt 5:43, 19:19, 22:39, Mk 12:31, 33, Lk 10:27, Ro 13:8,9,10, Gal 5:14) and are not to be retained by a disciple of Jesus. We are to imitate His (Jesus') example, which was love for others regardless of their response. I see that's exactly what happens at the SAN. We might have differences of opinion, ideas, or whatever within the work force but are never to hold something within that could harm the other. Thus, the harmonious work environment, the selfless commitment to patient care, the philosophy of putting the patient first brings about the subtraction into each of our lives. Pritchard writes "this is a passage with huge implications, if you have any interest in growing spiritually, pay attention to what Peter says because he is speaking to you".
The way we treat one another has a direct impact on our relationship with God. You can treat people unkindly and gossip about them and harbour bitterness, you can have a sharp tongue and a critical spirit, and you can look down your nose at people who are not like you. As long as you do that, you will never grow spiritually. Those relational sins will choke off the Word of God in your life. That explains why you see growth spiritually and wholly. For the eradication of self and the emancipation of self is an everyday affair in the life of the SAN family.
II Peter 1:2 "Grace and Peace be MULTIPLIED unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord". It is Multiplication at work. When the first two steps of the formula Addition and Subtraction are at work, Multiplication takes place. Isn't it the grace of God and the peace of God the lady sitting on that chair in the corner of the room was experiencing? I believe this arithmetical formula is the Divine design for every institution that exists for the cause of the Cross. For every person living at the most momentous hours of earth's history, at a time when the uncertainties of life are like never before, when it's unprecedented in all forms, and wondering where is this world heading to? Economic crisis, moral crisis, social crisis, political crisis etc. Isn't it the Grace of God and the Peace of God that we long can carry us through. In fact, the Grace of God and the Peace of God seems to be the greatest gift one can give to a patient in the hospital.
II Timothy 2:15 "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". The last step in this arithmetical formula is "DIVISION". The life that SAN staff live out in the wards daily is the division of the gospel. One does not have to sit down and preach from Genesis to Revelation to touch lives. The care that our staffs' exhibit is reflection of Christ and His gospel.
Michael P Green wrote of an illustration of God's part and man's part. Some years ago, a study was done by an agricultural school in Iowa. It reported that production of a hundred bushels of corn from one acre of land required 4,000,000 Ibs. of water, 6,800 ibs. of oxygen, 5,200ibs of carbon, 160ibs. of nitrogen, 125ibs of potassium, 75ibs. of yellow sulphur, and other elements too numerous to list. In addition to these ingredients rain and sunshine are required at the right times. Although many hours of the farmer's labour are also needed, it was estimated that only five per-cent of the produce of a farm can be attributed to the efforts of man. So it is in the spiritual realms: God causes the growth (I Cor 3:6-7). The gospel of the soon-coming king is lived out at the SAN. The confession of the lady in the corner of the room was the recognition of the gospel truth lived out in the lives of staff members in Sydney Adventist Hospital. Yes, dear woman, you are right- "God is a combination of love and mathematics". For He is the greatest mathematician the world has ever known, and He holds the SAN/us/every institution of our Church in the palm of His hand. This arithmetical formula can be the secret trump card of success for every institution, every church, and every family.
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