I had known Jim, an unbeliever, for more than forty years, and now he lay dying of lung cancer. A number of years earlier, Jim had approached me about conducting his funeral when the time came, but our paths had not crossed from that point until I heard Jim was on his deathbed.
As I approached Jim’s hospital room, his children were huddled outside the door, grim and distressed. “Dad isn’t doing well at all,” the oldest daughter offered. Unaware of their dad’s earlier request of me, I told Jim’s children their dad had asked me to conduct his funeral; and knowing he had never made his peace with God, I asked if I could speak with him alone. They gladly consented.
Fortunately Jim was still cognizant that evening, and was quite ready to discuss eternal matters. Among other passages, I read to him the words of Jesus from John 3:3: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” As I explained to Jim the plan of salvation and prayed with him, his heart was soft as he accepted Christ into his heart by faith. A smile came across Jim’s face, and he said he now had peace, wasn’t afraid to die, and was ready to go anytime the Lord called him Home. Certainly there was rejoicing in the presence of the angels over Jim’s eleventh-hour decision! As I left his room that evening, I told Jim I’d see him in Heaven.
Within a day, Jim fell into a coma and remained in that state for the next two days. I was not with Jim when he passed into eternity, but his children related to me that just moments before his passing, a dove came to his hospital window and hovered there. Undoubtedly it was viewed as God’s dove of peace, reassuring Jim’s family that all was well.
Funerals are wonderful opportunities to present the message of God’s redeeming work of grace in Christ Jesus. Many of the attendees at Jim’s funeral were not believers, but I have faith to believe that as the gospel message was proclaimed, the Holy Spirit will continue to do His work in bringing conviction to the hearts of those who have yet to experience what Jim did in the eleventh hour. Jim’s latest decision, to me, was another indication of GRACE—God’s overflowing heart.
–Paul W. Brubaker
January/February 2008