Monday, December 8, 2008

We never know what a day will bring forth. But we do know who does!

It is Monday, December 8, 2008 but to tell you the truth it's almost like I'm not clear on exactly what all has happened and where we actually are since last Saturday morning. Our nephew and his dad are here from Florida leading the restoration work on our home. They are doing excellent work and we would never have been able to have gotten the upgrades and quality had we used someone other than family. But, on Saturday morning the dad, my wife's brother, Bro. Milton suffered a heart episode along with other yet to be determined issues that nearly saw him leave this life for the next. He actually had to be resuscitated three different times in the emergency room and as of this morning he remains in very critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit. We had all assembled Saturday to get a lot of projects done. I had stopped by the donut shop and picked up some goodies to get the day off and running. We had a full day planned and got jump started with some good old fashioned laughing and fellowship. However, our dear Bro. Milton who has had many health challenges over the past several years reached a point where his life, our lives, the lives of many others came to a standstill.

You might recall that Bro. Milton is a man of the Gospel. A preacher boy as we have always called him although he recently turned 68. One of the blessings in all of this has been the availability of world class medical attention here in our area. He is receiving the best care imaginable and we are thankful for all the skill and dedicated work being rendered on a 24 hour basis. Bro. Milton surrendered to preach in the summer of 1964. He was licensed by a local Church and come December of that same year he agreed to perform his very first marriage ceremony. That was 44 years ago this coming December 18 and the bride and groom were none other than my wife and myself. To say we are interconnected would be an understatement. Bro. Milton has pastored Churches and done the work of an evangelist and revival speaker for these same 44 years and counting. Over the past 48 hours there have been times when it looked like he was going on to his reward and we would have praised God for him and his life. We all have prayed that he be spared for his wife, his children, and his beloved grandchildren, but we, as people of faith, also can with confidence pray God's will be done even as Jesus did as He dealt with the great challenge of the cross in His life.

The outpouring of affection for Bro. Milton personally has been something to behold. People from all over the country have called. Entire Churches have held prayer meetings on his behalf. Pastors have driven from far away places to pray over him. The response of our own local fellowship has been tremendous and all of this is a testimony to what a difference Jesus makes in a life, Bro. Milton's life, and the lives of any and all who are willing to receive Him. We are guardedly optimistic as we face today's many decisions regarding the search for the primary cause of his trouble. We have been told that while they are clear that he had a serious heart episode they are still at a loss as to why he is still battling for his life at this time. People are praying. We are praying. You can pray also and we would humbly ask that you do so. It's been an unbelievably stressful 48 hours but only because we are frail, emotional, and our hearts hurt for Bro. Milton and his family. Just so you know, he is the real deal, a man who perhaps more than any I've known who consistently has lived his life out in the open as a daily testimony to God's working in and through him. I have been saying for at least 30 years or more that this man comes about as close to that which was said about David in the Bible as anyone I've known: "A man after God's own heart." We never know what is going to happen next or what will be the content of the next phone call, HOWEVER, as even this situation portrays, God is always there and He can always be counted on to be with us every step of the way. And, as Bro. Milton's older brother Cleon said, "In this situation it is going to be okay regardless of the medical outcome." Amen. ....More later.

No comments: