When the Beeping Gets Loud
It all began with a simple B-12 shot. No drama. No concern. Until the nurse checked Carl’s vitals and calmly said words that are never calming:
“Your heart rate is 33.” Thirty-three. That’s not a typo.
Within minutes, he was gently — but firmly — sent straight to the emergency room. Wires. Monitors. IVs. Machines doing what machines do best — beeping with authority. After everything was hooked up, Carl decided it might be a good time to call his wife.
I answered and heard a voice I rarely hear — emotional, unsettled, unsure. I was in my car in seconds.
Tests followed. Screens blinked. EKGs behaved — then misbehaved. Normal — then that blip. The kind that makes doctors lean in closer. Four hours later, we were sent home with instructions to see the cardiologist. Soon.
That appointment confirmed what the screens were hinting at. Carl’s heart rhythm was playing hopscotch — sometimes steady, sometimes not. The doctor was honest. This could continue for a while — or it could stop. Those words woke us right up!
So there we were — yesterday, arriving before sunrise for what’s called a pacemaker implantation, guided by a cardiac electrophysiologist — one of those brilliant minds who understands the heart’s electrical wiring when it misfires.
And here’s where peace settled in.
Modern medicine and faith are not rivals. Technology is a gift. Skill is a calling. Wisdom is learned. But God remains sovereign over it all. Scripture whispers steady truth into loud moments:
“The Lord will keep you from all harm — He will watch over your life.” (Psalm 121:7)
We can bow to fear when machines start singing — or we can trust the One who designed the heart in the first place. God works through trained hands and faithful hearts to sustain life.
I’m grateful for pacemakers and doctors.
But most of all, I’m grateful that our lives — paced or not — are held in the steady hands of our faithful God.
Fear doesn’t get the final word. God does.
BTW — Carl is doing great with his new pacemaker! In the middle of Valentine’s Month — also known as Heart Month — it turns out he’s been given a new and improved pace. How fitting. Stronger rhythm. Steadier beats. A gentle reminder that God cares deeply about our hearts — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We’re grateful beyond words!