To Live is Christ...

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.  Yet what shall I choose?  I do not know!  I am torn between the two:  I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."

Philippians 1:21-24

A nine-year-old boy named Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, the anesthesiologist came into start an IV. He was wearing a cool surgical hat covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that “frog hat.” When the doctor started to leave, Austin called out, “hey, wait.”

The doctor turned. “Yeah, buddy, what do you need?”

“You go to church?”

“No,” the doctor admitted. “I know I probably should, but I don’t.”

Austin then asked, “Well are you saved?”

Chuckling nervously, the doctor said: “Nope. But after talking to you, maybe it’s something I should consider.”

Pleased with his response, Austin answered, “well you should, Jesus is great!”

“I’m sure he is, little guy,” the doctor said, and quickly made his exit.

When Austin's surgery was finished, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room to talk to his mother. He told her the surgery went well, then said, I don’t usually come down and talk to the parents after surgery, but I just have to tell you what your son did.”

Oh boy, she thought. What did that little rascal do now? The doctor explained that he just put the mask on Austin when her son signaled that he needed to say something. When the doctor removed the mask, Austin blurted out, “wait a minute, we have to pray!” The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed: “Dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen.”

The doctor admitted that this had touched him. “I was so sure that he would pray that his surgery went well,” he explained. “He didn’t even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have.”

A few minutes later, a nurse came to take her to post-op. She had a big smile on her face as they walked to the elevator. “There’s something you should know,” the nurse said. “Some of the other nurses and I had been witnessing to and praying for that Doctor for a long time. After your son's surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin’s prayer. He said, “well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus, two.”

If a nine-year-old boy can live that way... For me to live is Christ and to die is gain... Then why can’t we...