Wednesday, December 6, 2017

...Until Our Old Age... Pt. Three...

Waking up early one morning, I hear the distinct beeping that can only mean one thing, another facebook message. Why! I ask, why is it always me who receives these endless request? Over and over again they come, one after another, and they seem to never end; However, before I can answer my own question, I receive yet another "ding" from facebook messenger, deciding that I would read through all the messages at a later time, I place my phone on the night stand and proceed to complete my morning routine, beginning with prayer.

(The Holy Word of God)
While brushing my teeth, I begin to think to myself, just how wonderful it is that the Lord had placed me in this position, that He would allow me to be His hands and feet upon the earth, wow, and that those in need would choose to reach out to me, what an honor, truly amazing. After completing the morning routine of reading the Word, and thanking the Lord for the day, I grabbed my phone and began to scan through, and reply to the morning’s messages. Suddenly, I came across one that just stood out to me, it was a request for me to head over to a local hospital, to visit with the family of one of our former church members. After reading through the text, I asked the young lady to supply any pertinent information so that I could visit the family later that afternoon.

After arriving to the hospital, and struggling to find parking, I quickly searched out the elevator, went up to the specified floor, walked down the hallway, and entered the room. As I entered, it was clear to see that this would not be just your average hospital visit, there was such a spirit of faith in the room, it was palatable and thick, a heavenly aroma. Looking around, I spot an older gentleman sitting in a chair, his hair is thinning, and clean shaven face is slightly wrinkled; yet, as he stood up and shook my hand, it was clear to see and feel that his many years working in the healthcare field hadn’t weakened him one bit, and his faith in God had strengthened his soul.

(Aunt Violet)
The gentleman, we will call uncle John, introduced himself to me as I did the same, before informing him that his niece had asked me to come by to pray for both he and his wife, who we shall refer to as, aunt Violet. Now, here comes the most amazing part of the story, and the reason I chose to share this story with you is that I was so touched by what came to next. After I outlined the plan for the visit: chat, bible verse, and finally prayer, uncle John began to describe to me how his wife had fallen down, resulting in several injuries, and an extended stay there in the hospital. As I listened to him speak, it was very easy to hear the love he had for this his wife of over fifty years, and this woman, was the same girl he had met and loved loved since he was just fourteen years old. As uncle John spoke, aunt Violet lit up, and they both began to share stories of their youth, how they had met, traveled the world, and witnessed the birth of children, grand children, and great grand children, they were so in love, and that day, they still were, shining as examples for all to see.

In amazement, I listened to their many stories, I could literally hear the love in their voices and see the passion in their eyes as they gazed upon one another. As if they were teens sharing their first kiss, they glared at one another, and spoke to, with, and about one another with love. As this couple, this example of what true love should be, continued to describe the love they had shared, year after year, I began to to visualize in my mind, what it must have been like, to go on your first date in a 1949 Chevrolet Master Deluxe, or to take a ride, side by side in a Tri-Five 210, and they had done it, together. As the years passed by, and the future dreams became their own reality, they continued to love one another, they continued even unto their old age.

Proverbs 5:18-19 KJV
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe... and be thou ravished always with her love...

Ecclesiastes 9:9 KJV
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which He hath given thee under the sun...


You see, although I had arrived that day to encourage and pray fo this couple, uncle John and aunt Violet, whom counted between them many years, it was I who was encouraged, it was I who was uplifted, and it was I who received a Word from the Lord. Too many times, we as a people tend to overlook the benefits that those of the hoary hair have to offer us, even as I was walking into the room on that sunny October afternoon, I thought that it was I who was about to Bless this couple; however, it was I who received it. 

Bishop Kenneth Phillips, pastor of Promiseland Church, often exclaims from the top of his lungs that we must make up our dying bed, and that it is of the utmost importance that each day, we live our lives for and with Jesus. That we must know, without a doubt, that when we die, we will make it to heaven, and that we lived our lives as closely to the example Christ had left us as possible.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “why is this guy talking about death?” Well, because only a few weeks after meeting this wonderful couple, I accompanied uncle John to the funeral of his beautiful wife, after a simple fall, her health began to swiftly deteriorate, and she passed away, quietly in the same hospital in which I first met her, only a few blocks from her home. You see, we are not promised tomorrow, and in all actuality, we are not even promised today, and so it is imperative that we work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, we must follow the path that this couple has driven through woods, troubles, and storms of life.  We must Love God, and we must Love others; we must love our spouse, and we must do our best to keep the Love young and strong, by doing this, we can honor those who have gone before us, and we can honor our God, for it is He who watches over us, even unto our old age...

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