This morning at about 11 o'clock...
...I took my wheelchair escort down to the infirmary to see the doctor. While in the waiting area I again ran into Jim, the man who told me last week that the doctor gave him six months to live. Today he told me that he was down to five. Personally, it looks as if he's down to two months.
I thank God for the several minutes I got to speak with him. He looked awful. When I saw Jim last week, he wasn't anywhere near as bad. Now his face had sunken in noticeably. His ankles were very swollen, and his stomach was protruding far beyond his waist, as if he were trying to hide a basketball under his sweatshirt.
Before the hepatitis began to destroy his liver, Jim was on the slim side, although by no means thin. Now he looked sickly and pregnant, with a bleak yellow coloring to his skin. He was also groaning in pain.
Naturally, our conversation centered around the health of his soul and of receiving Christ as his Savior. Jim told me that the Catholic Priest had already given him his "Last Rights." "What's the rush?" I thought. I told Jim that Jesus Christ loves him and died for his sins. He insisted that he knew all this having been raised in Catholic schools. I was gentle and never pushy. But I did encourage him to pray to God and to ask Jesus to help him.
I assured Jim that in this afternoon's prayer meeting in the chapel, the brothers will be lifting him up in our prayers. He seemed to appreciate this. However, I can see a big stronghold with his inability to repent and fully trust in Jesus. He needs to be "born again" (John 3:3) and a lot more praying on my part needs to be done.
D.B.
I thank God for the several minutes I got to speak with him. He looked awful. When I saw Jim last week, he wasn't anywhere near as bad. Now his face had sunken in noticeably. His ankles were very swollen, and his stomach was protruding far beyond his waist, as if he were trying to hide a basketball under his sweatshirt.
Before the hepatitis began to destroy his liver, Jim was on the slim side, although by no means thin. Now he looked sickly and pregnant, with a bleak yellow coloring to his skin. He was also groaning in pain.
Naturally, our conversation centered around the health of his soul and of receiving Christ as his Savior. Jim told me that the Catholic Priest had already given him his "Last Rights." "What's the rush?" I thought. I told Jim that Jesus Christ loves him and died for his sins. He insisted that he knew all this having been raised in Catholic schools. I was gentle and never pushy. But I did encourage him to pray to God and to ask Jesus to help him.
I assured Jim that in this afternoon's prayer meeting in the chapel, the brothers will be lifting him up in our prayers. He seemed to appreciate this. However, I can see a big stronghold with his inability to repent and fully trust in Jesus. He needs to be "born again" (John 3:3) and a lot more praying on my part needs to be done.
D.B.