JERRY
Do you ever contemplate why things happen the way they
do—or why things happen at just the right time or in just the right place? I
call them divine appointments orchestrated by God. I’ve had several during my
walk with the Lord.
A recent one occurred while I was staying with my sister
Paula to help with her husband, Jerry, who has Parkinson’s. When I first
arrived (March 2013), Jerry was able to walk, talk, feed himself, and go to the
bathroom. Eventually, we had to take over these duties for him.
This
day was one of those perfect opportunities when we were alone in the house. I
had his full attention as I fed him lunch. My granddaughter, Bella (7), had
just gotten saved and was going to be baptized. It opened the door for me to
ask him if
“No,” he replied.
I
asked if he ever went to church as a child.
“Some.”
I explained that getting saved is to repent of your sins,
accept Jesus into your heart, and become a child of God. “Would you like to do
that, Jerry?”
“I guess I better,” he replied.
I led him in the prayer of salvation and he repeated
every word after me. At this point in his disease there was only a small window
for him to respond to God’s wooing and I was able to be there to point him
toward his Savior.
It was only a few months later that Jerry could no longer
function physically. He is now bedridden and has caregivers twelve hours a day.
It’s a sad thing to see such a vital and intelligent man who owned his own
engineering firm be reduced to a life such as this. There is no answer to the
question ‘why’ so it’s useless to ask. It is enough, however, to know that Jerry
now belongs to Jesus. He is a child of the Most High God and will spend
eternity with Him in heaven!
AARON
Jerry’s
son lives about an hour and a half from his dad. Aaron was visiting him one
Saturday and while his dad was being cared for upstairs, he sat at the kitchen
table across from me—another divine appointment. He mentioned how depressing it
was to see his dad in this condition. Aaron was also without a job and going
through his own personal issues. He was terribly unhappy.
“So, what are you doing about it?” I asked.
“I don’t know what to do,” he replied defeated.
“I do!” I said and proceeded to tell him about the Lord. He
asked all the usual questions for someone who has no understanding of a life of
faith . . .
1. Why does my dad have to suffer like this?
2. Isn’t Christianity just a crutch?
3. What about all the translations of the Bible? What can
you believe?
Paula
came in during this time and added to the conversation some of her own
testimony. I thank God for giving us answers that would satisfy his doubts and
his criticism of Christianity.
Then I asked if he wanted to
accept Jesus as his Savior.
“Yes.”
I
moved my chair around to his side of the table and took both his hands in mine.
I led him in the prayer of salvation and he repeated after me. My eyes were
closed but I heard him quietly sobbing, a very good sign that the Holy Spirit
had deeply touched him.
When
we retired to the patio to talk more privately, he shared some very personal
things. He admitted that he tended to be
a very negative person and saw everything as the glass always three-fourths
empty! We prayed over each issue he mentioned. I felt he had a long way to go
to cultivate his faith and trust.
The
next day (Sunday), Aaron called very distraught. I was on my way to church and
could do nothing. I told him to find a church and find someone who looked like
they belonged there, a deacon or minister. Tell him what’s going on and have
him pray with you. Don’t leave until you know that you’ve turned it over to the
Lord and trust in Him! Then I hurried on to my own church and found two of my
deacons. We went into the conference room and they prayed with me as well.
It
was a very crucial moment in Aaron’s newfound faith. The praise report is that
the crisis was abated. He also got a good job before the end of the week and is
now in church every Sunday. His negativity is dissipating and the joy of the Lord is his strength
(Nehemiah 8:10).
Never
underestimate where you are or why you’re there because God orchestrates divine
appointments. Don’t ignore them! He put Jerry (age 79) and me together at that kitchen table while he still had
the mentality to accept the Lord. He put Aaron (age 51) and me at that same kitchen table to bring him out of his ‘negative’
lifestyle and lead him into joy
unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).
I've
heard it said that it is harder to become a Christian the older one becomes. I
guess it’s because life has been lived longer and harder than as an innocent
child . . . but still nothing is impossible with God.
"The Lord is not slow in
keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
I
don’t ask for divine appointments but I have come to recognize them. Sometimes
I’m hard of hearing and God has to shout to get my attention. Then I turn
around and go back. It is a blessing just to know I’m being used by God in
someone’s life. I usually don’t know the outcome but with Jerry and Aaron . . .
GOD IS GOOD ~ ALL THE TIME
Hallelujah! J
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