(My grandfather, Paige, Ruby, Jena and Annie, October 2008)The following video is a video I took of my grandfather's confession of faith in 2007. He had just become a Christian at 85 years of age!!! (Pardon my tears and the low quality of the video, I was shaking too much.)
I lived over 800 miles away but I knew that I couldn't miss this opportunity to hear him share his story. So I flew into town with my youngest, Annie, while Duane stayed home with the other two girls.
In 2003, I was praying for my grandfather. I felt the Lord lead me to a passage in Isaiah. (Isaiah 57:18-19)
"I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them."
My grandfather had made it very clear to our entire family that he wanted nothing to do with our "religion." He asked us to respect that he didn't want to hear about God and he'd respect us for the way we believed, it just wasn't for him. Earlier he had told me that he believed Christianity was for weak people. (Of course, I completely agreed with him, I am weak and I need Jesus in my life.) But he didn't see it the way I did. He had survived the Great Depression, was shuffled from one foster care home to another, he didn't have a strong relationship with his real father, as he'd had several step-fathers. He made it through World War II on his own. He'd raised a family, succeeded in his career, built a house all by himself...he was fine, thank you very much.
I was a bit confused about this passage but it was so clear to me that I needed to be praying this passage for him. I called my mother and shared with her what I felt the Lord was saying. She agreed that we should pray if for him.
In 2006, my third daughter Annie was born. Just 3 days later, a day after I'd been released to come home with her, I received a call from my brother. He was at the hospital with our entire family, my grandmother had collapsed at home. My grandfather had tried to resuscitate her and called for the squad. The EMTs later told my uncle they were afraid to leave my grandfather alone because of the state he was in. They found him screaming, completely distraught over his wife of 64 years.
My grandmother didn't make it. She died the next day.
When I spoke to my grandfather later that day, he begged me to come to Ohio for her funeral. I called my doctor and our pediatrician and they were both concerned about traveling that far in February with a newborn. So reluctantly we stayed behind.
I wrote a letter to be shared at the funeral. My brother read it in my place. My mother sent me a tape of the funeral so I could hear everything. Relatives read poetry that my grandfather and grandmother had written to each other over their many years of marriage.
We were all in shock. None of us ever expected my grandmother to die before my grandfather. But the Lord had something planned.
Several weeks later, my mom called and reminded me of the passage in Isaiah.
"I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them."
I was slowly beginning to understand what the Lord was trying to share with me three years before. God had not given up on my grandfather. He knew his ways, but yet He was promising healing. We were the "mourners" and God was promising us peace and His healing. How was that going to come? Still we continued to pray for him.
Throughout the following months, my grandfather met with my mother's pastor. Dennis calmly and patiently listened to my grandfathers rantings and questions about Christianity. But he had begun to soften.
Later that year, I was alone and reading my bible when I came across this verse In 2 Corinthians 6:2.
For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."
Once again I immediately sensed that the Lord was calling me to pray very specifically for my grandfather. I called a friend, trembling and shared this verse with her. She agreed that we needed to be praying for him. I continued to pray this for him. He started attending church with my mom and continued meeting with their pastor.
That following January, 2007, I got a call from my mom telling me that when I go to heaven another person will be waiting there for me. What??? She shared that he had accepted Jesus as his Savior and had taken part in communion. What an incredible moment! I cried so much. God had been SO faithful to His promise of 4 years!
Just a week before his death this September, 2009, I was journaling about him. He had just been admitted to the hospital to have emergency surgery. We knew the road ahead of him would be long if he ever made it out of the hospital. I felt led to another passage. This one from Psalm 73:23-26.
"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
This was true of him. He had nothing else besides the Lord. God had given him amazing wisdom in the few short years as a Christian. At his showing before the funeral I talked with many of the members of the church who shared what he had meant to them. It was so encouraging to hear what an impact he had on this church. I was so proud to be called his granddaughter. What an incredible legacy he's left for his family.
Through all this I've learned that the Lord is faithful to His promises. Over and over again He's shown me that truth. I've also learned that I shouldn't give up praying even when it seems like years and years for the Lord's answer to come. I can't give up.
Most importantly I have learned, like 2 Peter 3:9 states:
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
My grandfather and I, July 2006
(My grandfather, Paige, Ruby, Jena and Annie, October 2008)
