My grandmother is in a nursing home. She has cancer, the tumor is on her face, most likely as a result of a lifetime of smoking. Shes been through all the surgeries, the chemo has come and gone, now she is waiting to die a death that is expected by doctors and family at any moment.
She is not saved. Week before last, I took the morning off work to take my wife to the dentist to correct an issue she was having. While she was doing that I took our little one to breakfast at Burger King and let him run around the little indoor playground a while.
I wanted to get my grandmother a card. So I bribed my 3-year old into leaving the playground without a scene by telling him we were going to see Veggie Tales toys. Excitedly, he left with me and we arrived at the Christian bookstore a few minutes later.
True to my word, our first stop was to the toy section and I showed him all the toys and went a few aisles over to the cards. After a bit of looking, one card in particular screaming JESUS IS LORD across the front stood out at me. I picked up and read it, being a little unsure, I quietly prayed, Is it this one? A moment later my cell phone rings. Its the dentist, my wife is done and needs to be picked up. Time to go, I grab the kid, buy the card, and off I go.
That Saturday, Im sitting in the post office parking lot, wondering what is proper to sign in this card, not only to a grandmother who is dying, but to someone who is unsaved, and hard-hearted before God. As I sat there, pen in hand, I had a thought that said, Say, I love you more than youll ever know, very bizarre, too bizarre to be my thought as I dont even think that way. I mail off the letter and hear nothing for the next few days.
Last Thursday, I receive a call from my mother while Im at work. Apparently, my grandmother loved the card and had been crying for the last two days because she wanted to see me (I wasnt aware of this). The Lord speaks up and tells me its time for me to go see her.
Friday morning, I wake up very early in the morning and drive the nearly 300 mile trip, I live in Iowa and she in South Bend, Indiana. I surprised her when I walked into her room and was able to spend good time with her that day, until she went to sleep for a nap in the afternoon. Having my own agenda, I took that opportunity and went to the bookstore of the church I attended when I lived there as a youngster and picked up a little booklet on salvation, written by Lester Sumrall, which I studied and underlined particular passages that night and again Saturday night.
Saturday night, when I was done studying the book and after a quick reading of Romans 5, I prayed to the Lord, among other things, I asked Him for the opportunity to be a witness and for the courage to follow through, to open her mind and prepare her heart to hear what I had to say to her.
Yesterday morning, I arrived at her nursing home early, my uncle was already there visiting her (his mother, my grandmother). We sat there talking a little about politics and a lot about how Notre Dame got robbed in their loss to Pitt in the 4th overtime
. A short time later, my uncle leaves, my grandmother turns off the TV, and the voice tells me, Its time. I witness to her, and she was unreceptive. I was I little unprepared for this, but I got the impression that the issue was not that she was dismissive, but rather too embarrassed to discuss such things with others. I gave to her the book I had marked, and she promised to read it later in the afternoon. (By this time she was tired again as her condition forces her to nap every few hours).
I knew going into that room that I had an obligation to tell her about Jesus, and while I was able to leave knowing I did what was necessary, I was not satisfied with happened and what I had envisioned going in there. However, I know the battle is not mine, Im but the messenger but God does the calling and I trust Him to finish the work.
Now Im back home, and my prayer is that God will continue the work He has started, and my hope is that you will also pray in that regard with me. Ive called her to make sure she read the book as promised, but havent reached her yet. Ill pray that she will make the right choice before its too late. This was probably the last time I'll see her alive, but my hopes are it wasn't the last time I'll ever see her again.
She is not saved. Week before last, I took the morning off work to take my wife to the dentist to correct an issue she was having. While she was doing that I took our little one to breakfast at Burger King and let him run around the little indoor playground a while.
I wanted to get my grandmother a card. So I bribed my 3-year old into leaving the playground without a scene by telling him we were going to see Veggie Tales toys. Excitedly, he left with me and we arrived at the Christian bookstore a few minutes later.
True to my word, our first stop was to the toy section and I showed him all the toys and went a few aisles over to the cards. After a bit of looking, one card in particular screaming JESUS IS LORD across the front stood out at me. I picked up and read it, being a little unsure, I quietly prayed, Is it this one? A moment later my cell phone rings. Its the dentist, my wife is done and needs to be picked up. Time to go, I grab the kid, buy the card, and off I go.
That Saturday, Im sitting in the post office parking lot, wondering what is proper to sign in this card, not only to a grandmother who is dying, but to someone who is unsaved, and hard-hearted before God. As I sat there, pen in hand, I had a thought that said, Say, I love you more than youll ever know, very bizarre, too bizarre to be my thought as I dont even think that way. I mail off the letter and hear nothing for the next few days.
Last Thursday, I receive a call from my mother while Im at work. Apparently, my grandmother loved the card and had been crying for the last two days because she wanted to see me (I wasnt aware of this). The Lord speaks up and tells me its time for me to go see her.
Friday morning, I wake up very early in the morning and drive the nearly 300 mile trip, I live in Iowa and she in South Bend, Indiana. I surprised her when I walked into her room and was able to spend good time with her that day, until she went to sleep for a nap in the afternoon. Having my own agenda, I took that opportunity and went to the bookstore of the church I attended when I lived there as a youngster and picked up a little booklet on salvation, written by Lester Sumrall, which I studied and underlined particular passages that night and again Saturday night.
Saturday night, when I was done studying the book and after a quick reading of Romans 5, I prayed to the Lord, among other things, I asked Him for the opportunity to be a witness and for the courage to follow through, to open her mind and prepare her heart to hear what I had to say to her.
Yesterday morning, I arrived at her nursing home early, my uncle was already there visiting her (his mother, my grandmother). We sat there talking a little about politics and a lot about how Notre Dame got robbed in their loss to Pitt in the 4th overtime
. A short time later, my uncle leaves, my grandmother turns off the TV, and the voice tells me, Its time. I witness to her, and she was unreceptive. I was I little unprepared for this, but I got the impression that the issue was not that she was dismissive, but rather too embarrassed to discuss such things with others. I gave to her the book I had marked, and she promised to read it later in the afternoon. (By this time she was tired again as her condition forces her to nap every few hours).I knew going into that room that I had an obligation to tell her about Jesus, and while I was able to leave knowing I did what was necessary, I was not satisfied with happened and what I had envisioned going in there. However, I know the battle is not mine, Im but the messenger but God does the calling and I trust Him to finish the work.
Now Im back home, and my prayer is that God will continue the work He has started, and my hope is that you will also pray in that regard with me. Ive called her to make sure she read the book as promised, but havent reached her yet. Ill pray that she will make the right choice before its too late. This was probably the last time I'll see her alive, but my hopes are it wasn't the last time I'll ever see her again.
