Peace At The Finish Line

Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

  Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I was eager to visit my old friend after surgery and rehab and waiting for visitors to be allowed. Prayers and cards were appreciated during the waiting period and the family shared our thoughts with her.  I was surprised though not shocked when she had a family member contact me to say she was now in hospice, and requested a visit.

I wondered how I could encourage her or comfort her.  We had shared our faith in the past, and one of her favorite sayings was “We cannot do anything to improve on the perfect gift of Christ.”

When I was finally able to see her, we first reminisced about becoming friends at work, and

laughed about our silly adventures, and how many times we arrived at work to see the other wearing the same colors, and a couple of times the same outfit!  She was still vibrant and funny, entertaining and showing love and respect to all her visitors.  I was blessed to meet distant relatives and friends she knew before me, and to hear many charming stories.

Visiting as often as I could, I watched the subtle changes in her, her body and her spirit and could tell her time was near.  I felt led of God to purchase a fictional book about a feisty and faith-filled woman on hospice. She was pleased to hear that character made me think of her, and she asked me to share excerpts of the witty woman who was so seriously concerned about the souls of those in her hospice unit that she broke every one of their rules, sneaking into their rooms and helping them prepare for their passage to heaven.

As time went on, my friend became increasingly agitated and weepy. Various medications were tried, some giving strange side effects such as the day she greeted me with an eye-roll toward her constantly present daughter whom she greatly loved. I wondered what that was about and she signaled for me to wait until her daughter left. The daughter motioned me to the bathroom where she pretended to be straightening up and warned me not to be shocked at the temporary changes in her mom from medication. I sat by my friend and was surprised and alarmed at the powerful grasp of her hand around my arm, as she warned me that I must leave and call the police to tell them she’d been kidnapped and was being held against her will. 

I thought of the pranks we pulled at work and wished she could see the humor in her situation, but I knew she would be even more distressed if I did not take her seriously, so I told her I was going there now.  Praying all the way home and through the night, I hoped she would be lucid in the morning.  It was obvious there was not much time left.

Sending up a desperate prayer for the right words, on arrival I confessed that I was wondering what was disturbing her and speculated that, like many of us in the last portion of our lives, she might wonder if she had done enough as a person of faith – particularly to point our extended family to God.  The tears streaming down her cheeks said yes, that was it, before she softly voiced the words, so we looked to scripture to see what God had to say.

A verse in Acts – Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household.” (16:31 NIV) was particularly encouraging to her, for it assumed the entire family and extended household (considered a unit back then, even indentured help) would naturally also believe and follow Christ.

We noted what the verse did not say- like when or how that would happen, and we read a number of verses like Isaiah 44:3-4 “I will pour out my spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants” and remembered gratefully that God keeps all the promises he makes. We agreed that none of our concerns were meant to be a burden that we would carry alone. When I reminded my friend of her frequent saying that nothing we can do can improve on the “perfect gift” God already gave, she would add, “If that perfect gift says he will carry the burdens, we can gladly rest in knowing they are all taken care of.”

God reminded us both that day that the Holy Spirit is still here, and a number of saints left behind will continue praying for those in our families that have not yet come to eternal faith.

As weak as she was her arm raised up and she cried out, “Thank you, Jesus!”

That answer came, not by my words, but by God’s Word; and my friend passed into glory with peace.  Peace also filled my heart as I pondered God’s working and her immediate and full confidence because of the source – God’s Word.

We all have things me might regret doing or not doing as we leave this world behind, but I was deeply reminded that day that the transition to eternal life is ALL about what Jesus did to open that door for us, and not about anything we did or could do.

Do you also trust that perfect gift for all your eternal concerns?

Which verse or verses has God used to answer a prayer or a concern of yours or a loved one?