Last days
D. asked me to meet with his father, André, who’s in the last stages of Leukemia. We hit it off pretty well just before Christmas, and since then he’s invited me back every week to talk more about Jesus. He needs to embrace Eternal Life, yet there is much resistance.
André was an actor and was quite handsome, but now innumerable tumors cover his body. His clothes hide most of them, but about 50 cover his face and forehead. When he looks at himself, he sees death.
André defends his non-conversion by saying: “I could never be a priest or a pastor, preaching to people the Gospel.” Or: “There are some people I just can’t do good to. I just say, ‘To Hell with them!’”
Each time we set up an appointment, he tells me that he’s not sure he’s going to be “here”. The response, as kindly as possible, is: “Then why aren’t you getting ready for Eternity?”
André broke my heart today. Federer was playing Haas in the Australian Open. André was more interested in the match. I can understand being more interested in sports than in Bible study. Really, I can. But if you only had a few days to live…?
January 24th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I will pray about this situation….and for you as you deal with it.
January 24th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
It’s all but impossible to see that moment through the eyes of another. Of course, Andre hasn’t been looking forward to getting home for as long as we have.
Keep watering the seed, brother. God was there before you were and He’ll be there when you’re gone.
January 24th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
To see someone accept the idea of eternity without God breaks so many hearts - including the heart of God.
Stay the course Brady and keep speaking God’s message.
January 24th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
That’s about as tough as it gets. When I was a police chaplain in Florida, our dispatcher was a crusty old man who’d lost his legs to diabetes. He was an alcoholic and had numerous other health issues. He requested that I come talk with him on his deathbed. I went to share the Lord with him (wasn’t the first time I’d mentioned the Lord to him) but he was more interested in letting me know that he was content to die knowing he was going to hell. I think he died the next day.
January 24th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
I’m sorry, Brady. True ministry work can be heart breaking. I’ll pray you are able to break through. Stay the course.
January 24th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
I feel your pain. I have a friend at church that is dying a spiritual death. Like Andre, he would rather watch, enjoy, participate in, and live in sin than listen to me or his heart with respect to the Gospel.
Thank you for being there for Andre.