Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Grearest Gain II - Who knows the Appointed Time?

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord"

Someone said: "even his stops". I like to add that even his end is ordered by the Lord. I realize the truth of it from my father's life.

No one knew that the 16th of March 1960 was the day appointed for my father's departure to the glory land. Not even he. Yet the Holy Spirit, Who guided him, helped prepare him during his devotion that morning! The Lord was at work elsewhere too.

Several miles away, lived a servant of God. He too was a Hindu convert. He gave up his lucrative post to serve the Lord full time, as an independent evangelist. In those days, such a thing was unheard of although now, it is common. He was called 'Sadu' by the people and the children thought he was Jesus Christ from his looks, dress and gentle ways. He used to visit my father, as my father believed in his ministry and supported him financially too.

This servant of God arrived just at the time my father felt uncomfortable. For him to arrive at that early hour, he would have had to leave his house at 6 AM or so. He was older than my father and he cycled all the way! It was a surprise to me to see Sadu coming at that time when we were in a hurry getting ready for school and work. Normally he comes on a Saturday and never on a weekday like this. Now I know that it was the Lord who sent him. How careful we should be to listen to God's promptings and obey His commands. Sadu, by his obedience, was able to help my father and be a comfort to us.

Just a few minutes before, my father who was resting, sat up and said "I think I am going to die. What are you all going to do?" His human love and concern said those words. Yet quickly he added "There is nothing to fear.". God gave him hope and confidence and it was a strength to us.
Then things started moving fast. Sadu came and without a word he went to my fathers bed, placed his head on his lap and started praying silently. By this time my father went unconscious. "There is nothing to fear", were his last words to us. Sadu told us to pray quietly. Thus my father's spirit left his body. Then the doctor arrived and pronounced him dead.

It is really a blessed thing to know the Lord and have fellowship with Him. It is a life of peace amid the storms. Our hope in the Lord becomes the anchor of our souls. We will arrive at our destination at the appointed time.

I am reminded of two verses: "It is appointed unto man once to die and there after the judgment" [Heb. 9:27] and "God has not appointed us, unto wrath but unto salvation" [1Thes. 1:7] In my fathers case, he availed himself of the salvation offered to him and on the judgment day, he will receive his reward. Judgment is for the ones whose sins are not forgiven.

What about you and me? Will that day be a day of reward?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I had peace the day my mother died.Every day, for the last 7 0r 8 month,among other passage of the Bible, I read her john 14, sang with her(for her at the end) the hymn face to face and a hymn in french saying: I wish I could fill Heaven and earth with your praises etc...
I was from midnight alone with her. she died in the early
morning. My surprising reaction, looking at the corpse on the bed
was: she is not my mother I heard
myself saying.
what do you think about that?+