In the room of the ICU ward where Richard Williams lay
recovering from a severe cardiac arrest, Richard Williams
looked toward the ceiling of his room and began to pray
out loud toward it.
"God," Richard wheezed, "I want to accept Jesus as my
personal Savior. I want what my wife and daughter have
and that is You Lord."
Richard went on, "I am sorry for rejecting your word
and your teachings that Neva and Karen told me about.
Forgive me Father for my sins and renew me in the name
of Jesus. I repent of all my sins in the name of Jesus Christ
and now accept You as my Savior, Amen."
Richard Williams lay there a good ten minutes and felt a peace
which he had never felt before.
It was as if the Holy Spirit had descended down on him like
a dove, the same way the Spirit did when Jesus was baptized
by John the Baptist.
A strange new emotion welled up in him and he felt tears form
and then cascade down both sides of his face, as if to wash
away his old nature. Despite being weak from his affliction,
he felt rejuvenated.
He was not afraid of dying now, yet he didn't seem to feel
anywhere near death.
He just lay there basking in his newfound faith and continued
to cry tears of joy.
Back down in the waiting room of the ICU ward, Karen and her
mother Neva waited for visiting hours to return so they could go
back and stay by Richard.
This time they were not as tense as they were earlier when Richard
was first brought in. But they both continued praying together while
waiting for patient quiet hour to end.
After they had finished praying together, Karen and her mom
both hugged each other with her mom softly giving Karen words
of encouragement.
Karen began to feel encouraged when she remembered her father
saying something about a wake-up call as he lie in the hospital bed
and her mother saying earlier that God could be working on him.
"Mom?" Karen started to say.
"Yes, Karen?" answered Neva.
"I was just thinking about what you said earlier, that God could be
working on Dad and then what Dad was just telling me back in his
room."
"You mean about him saying this was a wake-up call?"
"Yes. Maybe I'm only imagining this, but I believe Dad
might get saved right here and now."
"He could at that if you add what you heard me say and
then what your father just said."
"Exactly," Karen said somewhat cheerfully, "I mean its not
as if we haven't shared the gospel with him, despite the fact
he wouldn't accept it then."
Neva and Karen both stood up and Neva then started to say,
"But even if he hasn't become saved here and now, I believe
now is the best time to tell him why all this really happened."
"Oh yes, Mom," Karen agreed wholeheartedly, "I'm all for doing
that!" It was with that that the announcement over the hospital's
PA system that patient quiet hour was up and as if on cue, Karen
and her mom headed back to Richard's room after the announcement
was made.
Back in Mac Davenport's room, Mac lay propped up on his bed watching
the TV yet not really paying attention to it as he was thinking about the
proposition he just made with Brian and Dawn.
He thought back at how they received his offer with such enthusiasm.
While it was true that they knew they were going to get something for
tending to his animals, there was not one hint of any reservation on
their part of having to work for something they like.
Brian and Dawn were exceptionally well-nurtured and well-raised
children in this day and age. Mac was as proud of them as he was
sure Gary and Vera were.
Brian, Dawn and the other church children looked up to Mac as a
kindly uncle as well as a respectable figure. He was their Uncle Mac.
He also thought about how he would miss the pinewood derby due
to being layed-up. He was supposed to have helped Gary Canfield
with the track today but certain events changed all that.
Mac then thought of Richard Williams and despite the fact that he
would miss doing things he loved, he was glad to have saved another
man from certain death and hopefully from dying without Christ.
Saving a man from possible eternal torment was far more important
than attending church activities.
Mac was glad to to have done what he did and decided to spend
time in prayer to give thanks that the Lord spared his life as well as
the man he rescued.
Minutes seemed like hours as Mac prayed and when he finished he
began to doze off into a light sleep which was short-lived by the
sound of a woman's voice.
"Mr. Davenport?" the voice said.
Mac jerked awake and looked to see Nurse Cindy Hunt standing
next to his bed with a wheelchair in front of her.
"Do you feel up to visiting someone in ICU?" she asked.
"Who sent for me?" Mac wondered aloud.
" Let's just say the family of the man you rescued want to share
some good news with you."
This concludes Chapter 16.
recovering from a severe cardiac arrest, Richard Williams
looked toward the ceiling of his room and began to pray
out loud toward it.
"God," Richard wheezed, "I want to accept Jesus as my
personal Savior. I want what my wife and daughter have
and that is You Lord."
Richard went on, "I am sorry for rejecting your word
and your teachings that Neva and Karen told me about.
Forgive me Father for my sins and renew me in the name
of Jesus. I repent of all my sins in the name of Jesus Christ
and now accept You as my Savior, Amen."
Richard Williams lay there a good ten minutes and felt a peace
which he had never felt before.
It was as if the Holy Spirit had descended down on him like
a dove, the same way the Spirit did when Jesus was baptized
by John the Baptist.
A strange new emotion welled up in him and he felt tears form
and then cascade down both sides of his face, as if to wash
away his old nature. Despite being weak from his affliction,
he felt rejuvenated.
He was not afraid of dying now, yet he didn't seem to feel
anywhere near death.
He just lay there basking in his newfound faith and continued
to cry tears of joy.
Back down in the waiting room of the ICU ward, Karen and her
mother Neva waited for visiting hours to return so they could go
back and stay by Richard.
This time they were not as tense as they were earlier when Richard
was first brought in. But they both continued praying together while
waiting for patient quiet hour to end.
After they had finished praying together, Karen and her mom
both hugged each other with her mom softly giving Karen words
of encouragement.
Karen began to feel encouraged when she remembered her father
saying something about a wake-up call as he lie in the hospital bed
and her mother saying earlier that God could be working on him.
"Mom?" Karen started to say.
"Yes, Karen?" answered Neva.
"I was just thinking about what you said earlier, that God could be
working on Dad and then what Dad was just telling me back in his
room."
"You mean about him saying this was a wake-up call?"
"Yes. Maybe I'm only imagining this, but I believe Dad
might get saved right here and now."
"He could at that if you add what you heard me say and
then what your father just said."
"Exactly," Karen said somewhat cheerfully, "I mean its not
as if we haven't shared the gospel with him, despite the fact
he wouldn't accept it then."
Neva and Karen both stood up and Neva then started to say,
"But even if he hasn't become saved here and now, I believe
now is the best time to tell him why all this really happened."
"Oh yes, Mom," Karen agreed wholeheartedly, "I'm all for doing
that!" It was with that that the announcement over the hospital's
PA system that patient quiet hour was up and as if on cue, Karen
and her mom headed back to Richard's room after the announcement
was made.
Back in Mac Davenport's room, Mac lay propped up on his bed watching
the TV yet not really paying attention to it as he was thinking about the
proposition he just made with Brian and Dawn.
He thought back at how they received his offer with such enthusiasm.
While it was true that they knew they were going to get something for
tending to his animals, there was not one hint of any reservation on
their part of having to work for something they like.
Brian and Dawn were exceptionally well-nurtured and well-raised
children in this day and age. Mac was as proud of them as he was
sure Gary and Vera were.
Brian, Dawn and the other church children looked up to Mac as a
kindly uncle as well as a respectable figure. He was their Uncle Mac.
He also thought about how he would miss the pinewood derby due
to being layed-up. He was supposed to have helped Gary Canfield
with the track today but certain events changed all that.
Mac then thought of Richard Williams and despite the fact that he
would miss doing things he loved, he was glad to have saved another
man from certain death and hopefully from dying without Christ.
Saving a man from possible eternal torment was far more important
than attending church activities.
Mac was glad to to have done what he did and decided to spend
time in prayer to give thanks that the Lord spared his life as well as
the man he rescued.
Minutes seemed like hours as Mac prayed and when he finished he
began to doze off into a light sleep which was short-lived by the
sound of a woman's voice.
"Mr. Davenport?" the voice said.
Mac jerked awake and looked to see Nurse Cindy Hunt standing
next to his bed with a wheelchair in front of her.
"Do you feel up to visiting someone in ICU?" she asked.
"Who sent for me?" Mac wondered aloud.
" Let's just say the family of the man you rescued want to share
some good news with you."
This concludes Chapter 16.
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