In Memory of my Dad
1927-1995
It was a 50 min. drive back to the city that morning, and that was with me speeding. I usually didn’t speed, but I’d received an emergency call saying my family needed to make a decision regarding life support for my Dad, and I needed to get there asap. As I drove, I had lots of time to ponder why they needed me there, and why Dad had turned for the worse since I’d just seen him the day before, Monday Jan. 2nd, at which time the doctors said he would be okay so we might as well all go home. Those fifty minutes were far too long, if you know what I mean…
When I arrived at Dad’s floor in the hospital, I was met by two of my sisters who told me Dad was already dead. After my meltdown, I went in to see him with a deeply grieved heart, not knowing what to think about his state of salvation. He had been delirious those last days and so we hadn’t had the opportunity to ask about faith in Jesus Christ, but we did know he started asking questions a few years before, and at one time had asked me what he needed to do to be saved. Though he wasn’t ready at that time, he did continue reading his Bible and asking more questions.
It was as I stood at the foot of his bed that the Lord brought back a memory of the day before when I stood in the same place. I was talking with some of my family and Dad, who really wasn’t in his right mind, bolted upright to a sitting position, looked straight at us and said, “I’m going to see the teacher!”, then laid back down, out of it. The others in the room thought it was the delirium speaking because he was a retired teacher, but there was something else in His voice that had told me otherwise. The Spirit had quickened in me the words ‘the Teacher’ and I realized Dad was not speaking of a man, but of Jesus, and God in His mercy was allowing me to hear that Dad had given his life to Him. How could I have forgotten?
Death of a loved one is always difficult, and though I knew I would see him again, it didn’t relieve the regret for all the time we lost together because of his work schedules. Believe me, quality time with your loved ones is the most precious gift you can give them in life. Do not neglect it! Still, I will see Dad again someday. And I guess Happy Birthday may not mean so much in eternity.
Never stop praying for those you love to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and pray that the Lord continues to give great effort toward that end. He always hears our prayers and works for our good. I have to believe the Lord will do His best right until my loved one’s end. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:” (Jh. 6:44 ) In Him is my hope.
I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. Ps. 116:1,2
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mk. 9:23
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2Cor. 4:18
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1Jh. 5:14 ,15
Pray without ceasing. 1Th. 5:17