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He welcomed us at the door... A warm smile on his face... He and his wife had been sitting in their den, enjoying each other's company and a warm fire. After saying hello and shaking hands, he took our coats and hung them up in the closet. His wife invited us to take a seat and her husband took his place in his chair. You could tell that it was his by the way he quickly settled into it. The mold having been formed throughout the years, and you could tell that the chair welcomed him with immediate comfort.
My fellow pastor started the conversation, "So, how are you doing today?"
"Today is a good day. Tuesday's are always good days." He replied. It was encouraging to hear his upbeat response. It helped to put both of us at a bit of ease.
His wife chimed in, "We are at peace that it is all in God's hands now. We are just so grateful for all the prayers for a miracle. If there is one thing we know, it is that God is in the business of doing miracles. But we are ready for whatever God's answer might be."
He continued on, "Ultimately, we know that God is going to use my situation to further His kingdom. We know that he uses everything for good. This is no exception."
The conversation then went to talking about their Christmas. It had been a great one, filled with kids and grandkids, as well as many of their dear friends. They told of the teenage grandkids and the questions they have had. One conversation stuck out to him in particular.
He shared how he had sat down with two of his granddaughters in the same room and had talked to them about how what you choose to do with Christ and your relationship with Him is the most important thing you can do in life. And how that conversation got back to the one granddaughter's high school basketball team that she played on. Some of her teammates chose to share it with their mothers. He found out because a number of the moms had approached him at a recent game and shared how much those words of wisdom had meant to them and their daughters.
It was a conversation that is indescribable to put into words.
There were laughs and cries throughout the conversation. And as the conversation began to wind down, he listed off all of the simple blessings he had experienced in life, "... to have been born in America, to have lived a full and healthy life, a wonderful wife, God's provision of good jobs and food on the table throughout the years, and a number of kids and grandkids that all know and love the Lord..." His list went on and on.
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1 John 4:18 says:
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
That is a pretty bold verse. Fear seems to cripple all of us in some fashion. Perhaps the most common fear is that of death. Up until this visit yesterday, I don't know that I had ever seen someone that was so comfortable with dying. This man had such a deep peace about it. It was clear that there was some worry about his wife, who will likely be a widow in the near future. But what was humbling and inspiring to me was how deep their trust in God is even in such a troubling time.
There was not a doubt in either of them about the promise of the gift of eternal salvation that is free for all of us through Christ's death on the cross. Their confidence in that truth is such a glorious testimony to the Christian faith. It creates in me a hunger to grow deeper in my own trust in God.
Monday is the day that they get to see what has transpired over the course of the several rounds of treatment he has had. Until then, we will all keep praying that God would do a miracle, but most importantly that through it all that HIS will would be done.
I will update you all when I have more news... I couldn't help but share this inspiring story with you though.
God Bless,
Heath
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