Oh Death, Where is Your Sting?

Sunday, August 31st at 5:10 p.m. a dear friend and family member died. John was my brother-in-law. We enjoyed many times of laughter at family gatherings. He was the guy my sons looked for every time we had a family event. Uncle John teased and joked and was never at a loss for a good story to tell. He was the kind of guy that would find where your "goat" was tied and then "get your goat"! If John wasn't at a holiday dinner we all felt the void.

January of 2007 John had a near fatal heart attack. He told about his experience to everyone who came close to him. He was shy in front of people he didn't know, but after his heart attack he had boldness to tell even a church full of people about his experience. It still scared him but he had to declare the mercy of God. The last time we spoke he told me part of it again.

He said that his heart stopped beating. He found himself at a door and walked through it. On the other side of the door was a terrible desolate feeling. "Desolate" was the word and he could barely speak it. Tears sprang to his eyes as he told me. He felt panicked and alone. A force was drawing him deeper into this place and he knew there was more horrors beyond. He screamed, "Help me Jesus!" A hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him through the door. He was back in his hospital room. He began praying in his bed saying, "Lord, I don't deserve another chance."

He saw many things during his hospital stays. He saw an angel in the corner of the room and other things that comforted him. He felt bad because he waited so long to come to God. He probably told more people about Jesus in the last year and a half than many people do in a lifetime. He never forgot the mercy of God.

One of the things he stressed when he spoke publicly and privately was the "levels of prayer". He came to realize that every prayer prayed was not of the same intensity. The first level is surface. That would include prayers by rote. The second is prayers that are a little more personal, and the third level is fervent and urgent. John stressed that we need to be more serious and urgent when we pray. Those prayers are of utmost importance.

The last few months John was in a lot of pain. Now he is not. He is in the Presence of the One he found those months ago. The One who literally rescued him from the pit. He was a wonderful man and an example of all who have made the decision to follow Jesus. I want to fearlessly proclaim the gospel of Jesus like John did. He was an inspiration to me and we will all miss him.