It's the 14th century before Christ

A man cautiously pulls back a curtain

Steadies his nerves

Breathes deep and steps in.

Friends who aren't allowed to come in

Wait outside

They crane their necks Hoping to catch the jingle of the bells he wears

The jingle that tells them 'He still moves'

That the priest has survived, He's still alive.

They listen for the jingle of acceptance

As he enters the Holy place.

He is in the very presence of Yahweh, the Lord God Almighty.

But he doesn't enter for himself alone

Did you spot them?

Amongst his clothes of dignity and honour

The twelve stones on his breastplate

Can you make out the engraving?

He carries the names of Israel's families

He wears them over his heart before God

As a memorial before him.

He carries all of Israel on his heart into God's presence.

And now,

Me.

21 centuries after Christ

A chosen one

A royal priest in royal blue scrubs

Again, clothed in dignity and honour

But now clothed in Christ himself, wow!

I come boldly…can you believe it?

I waltz in with all the familiarity of a daughter crawling up onto her dad's lap

And I'm in. In the presence of the same Yahweh,

The very same Lord God almighty

Fully accepted.

Fully welcome.

And, you won't have spotted them

But I too have twelve names I carry

From our twelve bedded adolescent unit in Oxford

Twelve patient's names

Twelve stories of sickness and brokenness

I too wear their names over my heart before him

In his presence

I intercede for them 'Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven 'In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

I pray,

Amen

Bex Lawton is a paediatric nurse in Oxford, CMF's Associate Head of Nurses and Midwives and
'Poet in Residence'