We Shall Not All Sleep

Hello there!  It's me again.  It is late at night and once again, I cannot sleep.  Surprise, surprise.  I haven't written in my blog for quite a few days now.  I have been really preoccupied with the work and needs of living on the road in a recreational vehicle.  It takes a lot just to keep all the utilities working and food in the frig.  Not to mention making sure the bathroom is always working properly...lol!  Anyway, can't sleep so here I am again.

Today, Barbara and I traveled to a place I had not been to since 4:08 AM June 6, 2002.  The place is called Reche Canyon Rehab and Hospice Care in Colton, California.  We went there today to visit an old friend who was diagnosed about a year ago with the same kind of cancer that I have.  However, unlike me, she is not experiencing the successes of treatment and appears to be just a few days or so away from meeting our Lord, Jesus Christ face to face.

I went to bed early tonight because I didn't feel just right emotionally and now I understand why.  The woman's name is Kathy-Marie, a family friend of more than 30 years.  She was in a lot of pain today and even to touch her was painful for her.  I felt sorry and tried to be as gentle as I could with her.  I kissed her and tried to speak to her and family members, but I kept looking back at Kathy-Marie.  This woman is probably one of the strongest Christian women I have known in 59 years of life and at just over 60 years or so, she is fighting a losing battle with her disease.  Still she glorifies our Lord on the bed she will probably die in.  This is probably why I could not sleep tonight.  People for 5 years now have commented on how strong my faith is as I go through this relentless cancer but after visiting with Kathy today, I'm not sure I deserve any good words for my faith.  Looking at her, she is frail, and weak, unable to move in her bed and being fed through a tube.  Yet God is still on the throne she recognized Him on when she first met Him.  What a powerful testimony of faith she was to me today.  I constantly make mention of the pain that I am in to my wife and I feel somewhat defeated tonight.

While I was laying in bed, God brought a passage of scripture to mind (naturally) and it is from 1 Corinthians 15: 51-57 and it says "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.  But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.  O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?  O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;  but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." (NASB)

So we all "SHALL" be changed and some of us may not fall asleep.  The Lord Jesus Christ, has His righteous right hand on us and holds our lives in His hands.  All He asks of us is the faith we grow in with Him in our lives. 

Now that God has gotten me up out of bed and I have expressed my thoughts, I feel better.  I feel sorry that my friend, Kathy-Marie has not been able to enjoy the successful treatment that I have, but at the same time, I feel a little "out of sorts" because soon, she will be welcomed into glory and start her eternity with our Lord. 

Last weekend, Barbara and I had the opportunity to enjoy the "Harvest Crusade" in Anaheim California that is put on at Angel's Stadium every year.  Pastor Greg Laurie was asked, "Why do bad things happen to good people in God's world?  And his answer, which was echoed by Dr. James Dobson was so good and timely.  He said,  "I don't know!"  None of us know.  However, we do know of the scripture verses above and our faith will get us to that place where we can ask that question of the Creator Himself (as if it will matter at that time).

I don't know why Kathy-Marie is experiencing a different outcome than me, except to say that each of us have an appointed time in life to meet our Creator face to face and it appears that she is up to bat, fairly soon.  God loves you, Kathy-Marie, and so do we.

By the way, my father, Dan Stallings was in that same hospice care hospital on the date I wrote above and 4:08 AM, June 6, 2002 was the last breath he took here on earth and the first one he took in front of our God.  Hold "fast" to your faith.  It is your "reservation confirmation!"

Dave