My brother-in-law, Dick, is now a widower [since June of this year]. He and my sister, Beverly, were married over 57 years! He fit into our family wonderfully - fully accepted. Bev got him to attend church with her and he saw her dedication to God on a daily basis through all of those years.
Dick is Italian! Early on in their relationship, God arranged for the Pearce Memorial Free Methodist Church to have an Italian pastor - Dr. V. J. Mannoia. Dick loved this pastor and they had many jokes that they shared. This moved Dick even closer to his own experience of God in his life. It was probably around that time that Dick would occasionally lead our family in prayer. He would weep as he prayed and his voice would get very high with emotion!
But, his life still had all of the color that it had exhibited before. My parents loved Dick and he loved them! We became a family to Dick and enfolded him completely! He especially loved my mom - in spite of the fact that she insisted on overcooking meat [a travesty to Dick who was a meat-cutter for seventeen years]. 😂
Over the years, Dick ran hot and cold as far as attending church was concerned. His son, Scott, has been a Christian leader since his teens when he began working with youth! Scott is still a committed layman who has the passion of a pastor! His investment in Christian ministry is exceptional! He's also been a massive Christian influence on his dad!
But Dick's faith always seemed to be dependent on Beverly. She was the spiritual leader of their home! His connection to God was tied directly to hers.
UNTIL JUNE!
After caring lovingly for Bev for over three years while her condition with dementia deteriorated gradually but distinctly, Dick was alone!
Like so many others who have faced this reality, he struggles. He weeps a lot! He banters around the house doing his chores and passing time. When I call, he cries. He maintains that he's getting along okay. He repeatedly says that he's making it "one day at a time".
Debbie and I have been purposeful about going up twice since the memorial service. He seems to enjoy our visits and talks endlessly about his life. But this most recent visit was different.
He talked about the fact that his faith was anchored by Beverly. He recognized that he needed to have a personal relationship with God. So, he began sitting down at the breakfast table in their kitchen and reading his Bible. He tries to read a couple of chapters a day.
He told us: "Harold, sometimes I don't even know what I read. I don't understand it at all."
[It's apparent to me that he began reading in Genesis which can be overwhelming for anyone.]
But, he has stuck with it! He says that when he finishes reading for the day, he sits there and talks to God. He tells God that he doesn't understand much of what he read. But, he observes that the people he read about seem to have a lot of problems! So, Dick turns his lonliness and other problems over to God on a daily basis!
I interrupted him at this point by observing that a door to his garage - visible from his table - has a picture of Donald Trump on it. He laughed and said, "Yeah, Harold, I look at the picture and ask the Lord to help him with whatever he's doing today." We laughed together. But, isn't it remarkable that our president is being blessed every day by an 89-year-old, widower in Rochester, New York? It doesn't get any better than that!
Dick is managing! He is making the best of a heartbreaking situation! In spite of his loneliness, he is growing in his relationship with the Lord! He's praying for wisdom and direction about his home and his finances. He recognizes that he's blessed to have great neighbors who - for years - have helped him with his lawn, snow-removal, and leaf-gathering! They are good to Dick and genuinely care for him! He's thankful for lifelong friends who call him regularly to check up on him! He looks back on a life that was filled with abundance and plentiful pleasures! He has two precious kids in Scott and Heather, along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren who love and cherish him! He has no regrets!
Bev's death was tragic, but also a relief. He misses her dearly - as do many of us [she was my last sibling to go to Heaven]! But, to an extent, Dick exhausted himself caring for her 24/7. He's finally getting a chance to rest up and relax. He's even making plans for his future! He still has dreams and desires that he'd like to act on.
I share his story with you today as an encouragement! You can't get to Heaven because your parents were Christians! You can't get there because you go to church or are a member. You can't get there because you have been generous and treated people well all of your life. You won't arrive in Heaven because you lived a good life!
No! Sorry! These things don't really qualify you for entrance into Heaven - even though the world will tell you that they do...
You will be accepted into Heaven because you've developed a personal relationship with God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit! This relationship will gradually but certainly transform you into a person who genuinely and supremely loves God. God will use you to influence other people who know and relate to you! Your example may be the cause of family, neighbors, friends [even people in line with you at Walmart] to seek a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God as well!
YOU MAY VERY WELL BE THE INSTRUMENT THAT GOD USES TO GET SOMEONE IN YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENC INTO HEAVEN AS WELL!
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