Our Heavenly Father is a wonderful, merciful, and loving God.
Saturday evening my wife and I had a final opportunity to witness to her father, who's health has been slowly failing for some time. At that point Dad had been bedridden for a week but was clearly able to hear and respond weakly with single word answers, give kisses, and squeeze your hand. His breathing was labored and he found it hard to keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time. Hospice said he probably had three or four days left.
During a quiet moment, my wife asked him if he wanted to pray with us and he said, "Yes." I spoke softly into his ear and reminded him of a conversation we had a few months back about how he could know for certain that he would spend eternity in heaven with God. At that time he had not made a decision to surrender his life to Christ… but he seemed very close.
Now, at his bedside, I told him he could still ask Jesus into his heart and silently repeat the prayer I was about to pray. I then led him thru the sinner’s prayer / salvation prayer. My wife and I continued by praying over him for healing, but in all things for God’s will to be done.
After praying we asked if he understood the prayer for healing and he replied, “Yes.” We asked if he followed the salvation prayer and he whispered, “Uh huh.” And all the angels rejoiced.
Sunday he could no longer communicate with us, but we still felt as though he could hear us. In the evening we gathered again at his bedside, this time with even more family members, including all his children (one on the phone), and we expressed our love for him as he breathed his last breaths.
I praise God for fulfilling the prayers of his faithful daughter and her husband.
I can hardly wait to see my father-in-law in Glory.
I pray his wife, two eldest sons, and their families make the same decision that Dad made, before it’s too late.
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