“The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” {Psalm 145:17}
Four days ago a very good friend and a relative of mine passed away. He was the one I mentioned in my other blog post in Praise Anyway who had a heart attack and got better after a couple of stent procedures. He had another stent procedure after that and started on blood thinners. Last Saturday he wasn’t feeling well and complained of a headache and asked his wife around two o’ clock in the afternoon to call 911. The ambulance came and took him to the local hospital. When they ran the tests it showed he had hemorrhaged in his brain and he was rapidly losing blood. They helicoptered him to a more prestigious hospital who can take care of such cases. It was a grueling 24 hours of apprehensions and prayers for a miracle to happen, to finally come face to face to the grim reality that the bleeding was irrevocable, and he was pronounced brain dead the next day.
How do you then face this reality? How do you face the reality of losing someone you had prayed for twice already? First, from a stroke six years ago when the Lord performed a miracle on him when they helicoptered him to that same specialty hospital. The doctors were amazed that he recovered so quickly when they were sure he was going to end up paralyzed for the rest of his life. He wasn’t paralyzed and was able to walk out of that hospital a few days later. Second, last month when he had his heart attack and was saved in time to perform the stent procedures on him. How do you reconcile yourself now to this reality that God has allowed him to die? He’s been taken off life support this afternoon and his wake is set for this Friday and his funeral this Saturday. How do you accept this loss and the fact that God has allowed it? How do you move on? Where was God?
The key is in hearing His voice and knowing His thoughts. If you could talk to the Lord and know His voice, then you can know what is going on. You can learn and find out what God is thinking. As long as you can know his voice and thoughts, then you can have peace. Where was God? God was pretty much where He has always been: nearer to us than a whispered prayer. Just talk to Him in faith and He is always where we can find Him, nearby and faithful. He doesn’t leave us when things like this happen. As a matter of fact He is even more willing to make His presence felt, nearer than we can ever imagine. All we need to do is believe He is there, even how hard we may be hurting or how terrible our situation may seem to us at the moment, He is there. Just talk to Him.
My husband was inconsolable that night when they told him that Rich may not recover. All night we had a vigil of prayer. I sent out request to my friends and family for prayers and we all prayed all night. But this time though, God said, “Let him go. It’s for the best. You might not see it now, but it is well.” That’s what I kept getting in my spirit, “It is well. Whatever happens, remember, all is well.” As hard as it is to accept that, it is such a comforting thing to know that God is still in control. It is so good to hear His voice tell us, “It is well” because we know God never lies. It might not look it at the moment but we know He is faithful. Whatever He says is true and faithful.
My husband asked the Lord whether Rich was already with Him, and the Lord responded to him and told him, “Yes.” He asked, “Is he happy, Lord?” The Lord told him, “Yes, very happy.” We knew then he was gone even before they pronounced him dead the next day.
I remember coming in the next day, Sunday, and feeling sure that with God all things are possible and that if He wants He could still bring Rich back to us. I prayed for him and wanted so much to start pleading for the Lord to bring him back, but He would not let me. I felt like there was a bar across my heart and He would not let me plead. All I could do was speak in tongues and commit his spirit to the Lord. He would not let me intercede. I had to leave it in His hands. He knows best. I was already told the night before that it is well, I must learn to accept it.
Later that day when it was time for us to start heading home, I asked the Lord to allow me to say goodbye to Rich as He did for me with my aunt. The Lord was very gracious to me. As soon as I started talking to Rich’s body I could see his face clearly. Not the one in front of me, but a very much living one in my spirit, a face smiling at me. I said, “Goodbye Rich.” And I heard his voice responding to me audibly, “Goodbye, Sheil.” I laughed out loud because I was so happy to hear his voice and see his face. I could not believe that I clearly heard his voice, as if he had spoken it in right there in the room. In a little while I started weeping and I heard him say to me, “What are you crying for? You’ll soon be here.” Meaning, “This life is so quick and fast, you’ll soon be with me where I am.” He showed me clearly in my spirit that he was very happy and that there’s no reason for me to cry. In short, he did not want me to cry. And that is exactly his character. He is the kind that will not put up with a sour face at a party. He will make you smile and make you laugh. He was such a great guy. I will miss him.
The Lord is faithful. No matter what our situation is, even to this point where we lose a friend we love and care so much for, God can be found. As long as we talk to Him and seek Him for answers He will be there. He surely will never leave us nor forsake us, especially when we need Him the most. It might not look like it right now, but I believe His word to me, that it is well. No matter what happens, “All is well”.
“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” {Psalm 18:30}
