I have shared this story before, but for some reason, the details came flooding back to me again last week. It centers around my mom, who took her last breath on earth and her first breath in heaven in 2009. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have just one more afternoon with her.
The events took place as I sat in a hospital room next to her bedside. She was restless and confused. As a result of Alzheimer’s, her mind didn’t always comprehend what was going on around her and being in an unfamiliar place made it even worse for her. I remember talking to her and trying to calm her nerves, but I wasn’t having much success.
Suddenly, she began to relax, and I saw her beautiful smile return. She looked at me and said, “Do you hear that? Do you hear that singing? It’s beautiful!” I must be honest…all I could hear were the ordinary hospital noises…but I wasn’t about to let on to her that I couldn’t perceive what she could.
I decided that since whatever she could hear was calming her, I would play along. I told her I could barely hear the singing and I just couldn’t make out the words and wondered if she could tell them to me. Her response? “Oh, they are singing my favorite song, ‘His Eye is On the Sparrow’. Isn’t it beautiful?”
By this point her face was beaming and she was completely relaxed. We sat there together, mom being ministered to by her Savior and me being ministered to by my mother. I believe the Lord knew what words my mom needed to hear to remind her of His constant care of her. I, in turn, needed to see once again the deep, powerful and intimate relationship she had with her Heavenly Father. Her faith was so ingrained in her that even in the darkness of Alzheimer’s, she could still recall the promises of her Savior. You see, during her life, my mom didn’t just talk about her faith…she lived her faith day in and day out…even at times when following Him meant great sacrifice for her. She was willing to give and do whatever her Lord asked of her.
That’s the kind of relationship I want to have with the Lord, and if I am honest, I know I have a long way to go. I want His words, His wisdom, His promises to be so much a part of me that no matter what happens I will be able to draw from His power. But I realize that that doesn’t just happen. It isn’t something that is automatically in me because I had Christian parents and grandparents or even as a result of sitting in a pew every Sunday. Just like sitting in a garage doesn’t make me a car…sitting in a church doesn’t automatically make me a devoted follower of Christ. I must be willing and open to learn from those who have walked with their Savior longer than me and from my brothers and sisters in Christ with whom I worship. Ultimately, my bond with the Lord will grow over time as I fellowship with Him, read His Word and listen for His voice through prayer.
Mom’s favorite song says,
“Why should I feel discouraged,
why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely,
and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know He watches me.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free.
For His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know He watches me."
Just as those words were a comfort to her during her hospital stay, they are a comfort to me knowing that nothing will happen to me today that He won’t see. The One who knows everything, wants to have an intimate, personal relationship with me and it is my choice how close I will allow Him to be. I have no reason to be discouraged, no reason to be lonely because Jesus is all I need and He promises to be my constant friend. It just can’t get much better than that.
“Lord, help me to make the choice every day to strive for a closer relationship with you. Help me to seek you, to learn from you, to hear your whispers as I go throughout my day. And may those who come behind me, see you in me, and see someone who was willing to do whatever you asked to bring glory and honor to your name.” Amen.
By the way…if you haven’t already done so…please check out my latest videos on my YouTube channel, Image Seeker, where we studied the Fruit of the Spirit. The entire series is there so you can watch it any time of the day or night by yourself or with your small group! You can check them out at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0szlDSgNBtFuzzNLBWzwMA
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