After a prolonged illness, a wonderful man died a few years ago. He was abundantly kind by nature, caring for people from all walks of life. I do not remember ever hearing him utter an unkind word.
He had a practical way of looking at circumstances and people, and he was always grateful when you stopped by for a chat or quick prayer.
When he became ill, all his family and friends prayed for him, and they continued to do so until the end of his life. He was a scientist, someone who knew better than to skip the routine exams and tests that people should have by his age, but like some of us, he put them off too long. He endured surgeries and treatments in the hope that he could get better; they were not easy for him, but they gave him more time than anyone thought he would have.
During this time he was on his personal search for God. He told me once that those involved in the sciences often accepted answers from that field rather than seeing God at work. Despite his training, he began to have some very spiritual experiences, such as seeing the face of Jesus in things around him.
He was not hesitant to tell doctors, medical professionals and family and friends about these experiences. He came to a place of total dependence on God; he had a strong will to live and did not want to leave his loved ones, but he was unafraid and confident in the God who had made himself known to him.
In the last days of his life, with his family around him, he would begin to smile. His eyes wandered all around the room. His face would just beam and he would tell them that what he saw was so beautiful, and they were happy for him. A few days before his death, his son asked him, “What can you see, Dad?” but he only smiled and said, “Shush, son, it’s a secret.” He could tell that it was a secret that made his dad very happy.
