Unbridled Joy

Bailey Murrill was paralyzed from the waist down, and she didn’t know why.  She hadn’t been in a wreck or sustained an injury in any other way that would cause the paralysis.  The day before she could walk, but now she couldn’t.

Bailey was rushed to the hospital.  Doctors performed test after test.  But the doctors couldn’t figure out what caused the paralysis.

But then, after 11 long days, Bailey developed feeling in her legs and was able to walk.  To say that Bailey and everyone who knew her and had worked with her were overjoyed is an understatement.  There was one person that Bailey couldn’t wait to tell about – and to show – her recovery: one of her favorite nurses while in the hospital.  That nurse was coming back to work that very day.

A video was made of Bailey and her favorite nurse, and it was posted on YouTube.  You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75odu9sxwEA 
At the time of writing this article, over 6 million people have viewed the video.

Bailey’s mother posted this comment with the video clip:

Our daughter, Bailey, had complete paralysis from the waist down for 11 days with no explanation as to why. This video is of one of her favorite nurses coming onto her shift and not knowing that Bailey had started walking this day.

The video shows Bailey in a wheelchair wheeling herself to the approaching nurse.  When the nurse sees Bailey sitting in her wheelchair, she approaches her with open arms as if to hug her.  Then Bailey stopped her chair, locked the wheels, stood up, and walked toward her favorite nurse.  The nurse, in what one commentator described as a display of unbridled joy, screamed in shock and jubilation and embraced Bailey, crying, "Yes!  Thank you Lord!"

The nurse holds on for a long time, rocking Bailey back and forth. They both wipe away tears and embrace again and again. *

Because of our sins, we are in a sense “paralyzed” in that we cannot save ourselves.  Our condition in our sin is grave, for “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

But the Great Physician has a cure!  Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we might be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

God has promised to save those who will place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).   He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

The Scriptures teach that we are “dead in trespasses and sins....,” “but because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.”  It is by His grace that we are saved (Ephesians 2:1-9).

Accepting His grace – and the salvation and ETERNAL LIFE that it brings – should evoke unbridled joy in our hearts!

Won’t YOU accept His offer of salvation and eternal life?

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695