"A Hand to Hold"
August 4, 2016
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6
A few months ago, George Rodriguez suffered a stroke.
Then on July 5th George passed away. That is not unusual. All of us, someday, will leave this dark and sinful world. What is different about George's passing is that his wife of 58 years, Ora Lee, was by his side, holding his hand.
George and Ora Lee had met when he was employed at a San Antonio, Texas, butcher shop. They were married on June 1, 1958, and their union was blessed with three daughters. Those daughters gave of themselves and made it so their mother and father, even with dementia, never had to leave their old home. It must have been a great labor of love.
There is one other thing I should tell you about George and Ora Lee.
Ora Lee had predicted that she and her husband would die together. Although the family remembered the prophecy, they didn't put any stock in it. "That," they said amongst themselves, "is the kind of thing which happens only in the movies."
Make that, it's the kind of thing which usually happens only in the movies.
The truth is Ora Lee's glimpse into the future was right. She held her husband's hand when he died and then, three hours later, Ora Lee also gave up the ghost.
Did you ever wonder if when it is your time to go someone will be there holding your hand and providing comfort for you? If there is a person there, will that individual be an old friend or perhaps someone whom you love and who loves you?
I pray that will be the case.
Indeed, it will be the case if you acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Savior.
In his inspired Psalm, King David wrote that the Lord would provide goodness and mercy for him as long as he lived in this world. Then, when the time came, the Lord would take him by the hand and lead him through the shadows of death and bring him into a new home of everlasting peace, gladness, and great joy.
Now the wonderful thing is this: God's promise is not just for David. Because of what the Savior has done for humanity, forgiveness, life, hope and joy are given to all who are brought to faith.
Which, I believe, is a most comforting thing.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that when my time comes to die, the Savior will be there. Because Jesus is always with me, may my life both now and in eternity be filled with gladness for sins forgiven and salvation won. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
