Once in a while one is blessed to witness a moment of revelation, the final polishing of a fine jewel when its brilliance begins to shine.

In our small congregation, there are a husband and wife who recently celebrated their 71st anniversary. The day before their anniversary, the husband, whose Alzheimer’s disease is progressing, was placed in a nursing home. Though there are times when he doesn’t remember who his family or friends are, he has remained caring, gentle, peaceable and loving. A few weeks later his wife, whose mind is sharp but body is frail, was placed in the same nursing home, in a different wing. They have been able to visit almost every day, but the conditions are quite a bit less than desirable.

A couple of days ago the lady told my wife and later myself that she had wondered about the verse that says we must love God above all else and all others. As she prayed, she came to realize that she did love God and Christ more than anyone or anything else; yet her love for her family and friends was not diminished. Her thoughts had turned to God more than to people, and she realized that she now understood the verse. This realization, or revelation, brought great peace to her, and that peace seems to be with her still.

Today as I visited, she was very weak. We prayed, reminisced and read a letter a friend had sent. She mentioned that she felt that she didn’t have much time, and I asked her if she wanted me to bring in her husband for a visit.

When he arrived, it was as though his memory was restored. He tenderly held her hands, spoke lovingly to her, massaged her feet and comforted her. He asked, “Do you remember…?” about several choice memories, and then, “Do you remember your husband?” It was so touching, so loving, so right. They had a chance to say their good-byes.

It is amazing to witness the grace God bestows upon those He loves! These two beautiful people are among those of whom God says, “The world was not worthy.” It’s an awesome privilege to help serve God’s people. As I write this letter, my wife is sitting with our friend tonight. She knows she’s not alone.

Epilogue

It is amazing to witness the grace God bestows upon those He loves!
Hazel died peacefully the next morning, in her sleep, just as she had hoped. There were several more amazing moments as the nurses discussed their experiences and faith with me, one even asking to be anointed. Hutch, Hazel’s husband, was granted the power of a sound mind to know what was happening at the funeral, and to understand and express his love for his beautiful bride and for God. My ministry was enriched by seeing God’s mercy upon these two wonderful people.