I don't NEED to discuss theology with my Dad...
As you remember, I posted a few weeks ago about not being able to discuss theology with my Dad.
What I meant by that was that I enjoy discussing the “deeper” things of Scripture - the “why for’s” and the “where to’s;” the “jots and tittles”; and the “nuggets of wisdom” that God has reveled.
But now I am convinced that there is no deeper theology than “I know Jesus.” And I have learned this week that indeed, my Daddy does.
Oh, I never had any doubt of his beliefs and his faith in God. If he had died suddenly I would have had no doubt of his “destination.” But now I know, he knows Jesus.
I have watched an intense Spiritual battle this week. I have watched Satan wage war to keep a physical body in bondage, when he knows he has no claim on the soul. I guess he figures the longer he keeps the physical, the more chance he has of chipping away at the Spiritual. But GOD owns this soul!
It's a long story - and is still in process, but I just to share this much with you briefly.
Daddy has a “history” of talking in his sleep, and when he is sick, he always talks “out of his head.” We know this and pretty much just accept it. However this hospital stay was/is different.
Saturday night/Sunday morning he was more restless than normal. He kept crying and saying that he was tired of the hospital; that he wanted to go home. Then he began getting farther and farther “out of it” and talking more and more out of his head, when suddenly he began talking to my Mother! (Mother’s been dead since January 04) Then he began talking to my uncle - he’s been dead for about 10 years - then Mamaw and Papaw! He said, “Oh, it’s so pretty up here!”
There were moments he seemed so happy, then the very next moment he was crying and moaning "I want to go home! I want to go hoooome…" In a little while he needed to use the urinal and as I was helping him stand he (fully awake but still sorta “trance-like” and crying) said, Satan said he won’t let me go, but Jesus told me He’d open the door…”
All week has been a rollercoaster - up one minute and down the next. One minute we (the doctors and I) would be talking about “transitional care” for him and the next - “Hospice” but one thing was sure - he was losing ground. I had only briefly broached the subject of transitional care and not Hospice at all. In many respects Daddy doesn’t understand things, and so I didn’t want to upset him. But it became obvious that he was grasping enough to know…
Yesterday, he had been sitting on the side of the bed and around 4:00pm he wanted to lie down. Just as soon as he did, he began ‘talking” again. This time there was a jumble of words and phrases. He was talking sorta “child-like” and like he was talking to a child.
He talked non-stop about Jesus and God and “home” and how we were “dirty” and we couldn’t go in there dirty, but that Jesus would wash us. "Ooooh, yes He will..."
He said, “I want to go home, but I don’t know when.” He said, “Nobody knows when He is coming, but He’s coming - oh yeah, I know He is…”
He talked to little children about how much Jesus loved them and how He would take care of them - about how Jesus was a little boy himself and played just like they did. He said he was afraid, but that Jesus told him not to be afraid.
He said, “Jesus had a father and a mother and a little brother and a little sister. They all lived in a house, but Jesus lives in his Father’s house - do you want to go see?”
He told about the time they couldn’t find Jesus, and when they did they asked Him, “Where’ve you been? And He said, ‘I’ve been in the Tabernacle!’” (I had to laugh - he was so emphatic about the word “Tabernacle!”)
This man, who by "law" is my "step" Daddy, is the only Daddy I've ever known. I knew he believed in God, and was "saved" I just never knew of the depth of his faith, the depth of his belief.
Daddy is not an educated man. In many ways, he doesn't understand a lot of things - he can't write checks, or "see to" his own business affairs, but this man's faith has simply bowled me over! I am in total awe of the depth of God's communication with one man's spirit. It is truly "God's Spirit" His Holy Spirit that resides in my Daddy.
I just had to share this. I wouldn't have missed this opportunity for "all the kingdoms of the world!"
No, I don't need to discuss theology with my Dad, I need to listen...
I'll share more as the "adventure" continues!
Betty
What I meant by that was that I enjoy discussing the “deeper” things of Scripture - the “why for’s” and the “where to’s;” the “jots and tittles”; and the “nuggets of wisdom” that God has reveled.
But now I am convinced that there is no deeper theology than “I know Jesus.” And I have learned this week that indeed, my Daddy does.
Oh, I never had any doubt of his beliefs and his faith in God. If he had died suddenly I would have had no doubt of his “destination.” But now I know, he knows Jesus.
I have watched an intense Spiritual battle this week. I have watched Satan wage war to keep a physical body in bondage, when he knows he has no claim on the soul. I guess he figures the longer he keeps the physical, the more chance he has of chipping away at the Spiritual. But GOD owns this soul!
It's a long story - and is still in process, but I just to share this much with you briefly.
Daddy has a “history” of talking in his sleep, and when he is sick, he always talks “out of his head.” We know this and pretty much just accept it. However this hospital stay was/is different.
Saturday night/Sunday morning he was more restless than normal. He kept crying and saying that he was tired of the hospital; that he wanted to go home. Then he began getting farther and farther “out of it” and talking more and more out of his head, when suddenly he began talking to my Mother! (Mother’s been dead since January 04) Then he began talking to my uncle - he’s been dead for about 10 years - then Mamaw and Papaw! He said, “Oh, it’s so pretty up here!”
There were moments he seemed so happy, then the very next moment he was crying and moaning "I want to go home! I want to go hoooome…" In a little while he needed to use the urinal and as I was helping him stand he (fully awake but still sorta “trance-like” and crying) said, Satan said he won’t let me go, but Jesus told me He’d open the door…”
All week has been a rollercoaster - up one minute and down the next. One minute we (the doctors and I) would be talking about “transitional care” for him and the next - “Hospice” but one thing was sure - he was losing ground. I had only briefly broached the subject of transitional care and not Hospice at all. In many respects Daddy doesn’t understand things, and so I didn’t want to upset him. But it became obvious that he was grasping enough to know…
Yesterday, he had been sitting on the side of the bed and around 4:00pm he wanted to lie down. Just as soon as he did, he began ‘talking” again. This time there was a jumble of words and phrases. He was talking sorta “child-like” and like he was talking to a child.
He talked non-stop about Jesus and God and “home” and how we were “dirty” and we couldn’t go in there dirty, but that Jesus would wash us. "Ooooh, yes He will..."
He said, “I want to go home, but I don’t know when.” He said, “Nobody knows when He is coming, but He’s coming - oh yeah, I know He is…”
He talked to little children about how much Jesus loved them and how He would take care of them - about how Jesus was a little boy himself and played just like they did. He said he was afraid, but that Jesus told him not to be afraid.
He said, “Jesus had a father and a mother and a little brother and a little sister. They all lived in a house, but Jesus lives in his Father’s house - do you want to go see?”
He told about the time they couldn’t find Jesus, and when they did they asked Him, “Where’ve you been? And He said, ‘I’ve been in the Tabernacle!’” (I had to laugh - he was so emphatic about the word “Tabernacle!”)
This man, who by "law" is my "step" Daddy, is the only Daddy I've ever known. I knew he believed in God, and was "saved" I just never knew of the depth of his faith, the depth of his belief.
Daddy is not an educated man. In many ways, he doesn't understand a lot of things - he can't write checks, or "see to" his own business affairs, but this man's faith has simply bowled me over! I am in total awe of the depth of God's communication with one man's spirit. It is truly "God's Spirit" His Holy Spirit that resides in my Daddy.
I just had to share this. I wouldn't have missed this opportunity for "all the kingdoms of the world!"
No, I don't need to discuss theology with my Dad, I need to listen...
I'll share more as the "adventure" continues!
Betty
posted by Betty Newman at 12:21 PM
1 Comments:
that's powerful stuff. i'm so glad you shared it. thank you.
jonathon
Post a Comment
<< Home