After The Last Rain Falls

“That’s a GREAT Book!”  I told my patient’s daughter, who was sitting in the corner reading her Bible.  She looked up and smiled.   “Are you a Christian?” she asked.   “I am,”  I said.

That was the conversation that took place, immediately following my crying out to God, asking Him to “step into my day” – My crazy, chaotic, seemingly out-of-control busy day at work.   As if He were not already intimately involved in the circus I felt I was in, I begged Him to “show up!”

And show up, He did!   (But He was there all along.)

The very busy assignment I had in one room, kept me from spending much time in my other room, where my patient’s daughter sat in the corner reading her Bible.   But each time I was in the room, we talked about Jesus, and I knew that what my patient needed far more than anything I could give, her daughter was providing, and the Lord reassured me of that.

Karen wondered, and tearfully asked me, “Do you ever see people accept Christ at the last minute?”   She had been praying for her birth mother to accept Christ for the past 3 years.  You see, Karen had been adopted at birth and only found her mother 3 years ago!   I smiled and told her, “Absolutely!”  I laughed as I told her a couple of my favorite stories.  I shared that I wished I could go back and find all of the people who, over the lifetime of some of my patients, have planted and water seeds in their heart.  Then, I, who have only known the person for maybe a day or two, or perhaps only even a 12-hour shift, get to see the fruit of all of their labor, when my patient accepts Christ!   I smiled and promised her NOT to be discouraged!

A little while later, I watched from the nursing desk as Karen hovered over her fully awake mother who was on life support.  Tears were falling from her face as she held her mother’s hand and read God’s Word to her.   I knew what she was up to, and I left her alone.   Shortly thereafter, Karen came out and shared with me through her tears that her mother had indeed, just accepted Christ as her Savior.

Hearing that, and being able to witness just a glimpse of a woman who searched to find her birth mother, and in her last hours be the one who was allowed to lead her to Christ, to see all of the planted and watered seeds throughout her lifetime, come to fruition, was the absolute joy of my entire day!

Oh, but the story does not end here!  Nope………..

Karen and I talked a bit more.   We laughed and cried, hugged and giggled together.   She then shared with me that she had been praying for a Christian nurse today, and that she had a group of friends (and mentioned from where), also praying for her and her mother.  I was startled to hear from where these friends were, because I too, had friends there!  And it turned out that some of MY friends were some of HER friends, and that they were praying for Karen.   (It’s a small world, heh?)

We don’t need to ask God to “show up” in our days.  He is already intimately and sweetly involved and orchestrating events in His own divine way, so that exactly when we need a big dose of encouragement, it’s right in front of us!

Karen’s mother had a visibly noticeable peace cover her that evening, so much so that everyone who came in the room noticed.  She passed away the following morning – Born again one day, and in heaven with Jesus the following!

I wonder often, about all of the people who get discouraged while “planting seeds” and praying for loved ones to come to a saving knowledge of Christ.   And I too, find it difficult at times when after years and years of praying, someone I care for just doesn’t seem to “get it”……..

But God’s timing is PERFECT.   What a gift Karen received – To not only FIND her birth mother, but to have been the one to lead her to Christ!

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but GOD has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.  For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

Maybe you’ve been praying for someone for a long, long time – Maybe even decades!   And perhaps you feel discouraged and exhausted and at times believe that your friend or family member is never going to accept Christ.  Please, be encouraged today, and TRUST the Lord to answer your prayers, and that He will bring just the right person, at just the right time, even if it’s in the last moments of their life.  He is faithful and true, and His timing is PERFECT!  So please, keep planting, and keep watering seeds!

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.”   James 5:7

The last drop of water to nourish the seeds planted throughout her mother’s lifetime, were her own daughter, Karen’s tears.

You see?   He truly is, able and willing, to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine!

Karen and I became friends.   We knew God wanted us to.   And the following morning, below THIS picture of her and her mother’s hands, Karen wrote this:

“I had the privilege and honor to lead my birth mother to Christ. This photo of our hands was taken the day of her salvation on October 13th 2014 and she passed peacefully on the 14th and the angels rejoiced as God’s beloved daughter went home to paradise where there is no more pain or death or tears. Praise be to God! She is with Jesus.”