I have been at the hospital all morning watching God perform a miracle, and that has compelled me to this blog.

Richard and Kathy, awesome friends of ours, family in Christ, and amazing servants in our church, have been going through a great trial.  Richard was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months back, recovered from the surgery really well, and had just started chemo recently.  Late last night he started with severe abdominal pain and other symptoms, and wound up being taken to the hospital.  Atound 8:00 this morning I got word from our pastor that he was going into emergency surgery and not expected to survive due to an intestional blockage and infection.  I got to the hospital in time to be with Kathy while the OR and ER nurses were checking with Kathy about all kinds of issues…tubes to stay alive, measures to take when coding, feeding tubes, ALL those awful things you have to know when emergencies happen.

Kathy informedthem that they did have advanced directives that spelled those things out.  Only problem was the documents were not with her…they were at her house.  The nurses very gently explained that they needed those documents in their hands, as fast as we could get them there, in order to follow Richard’s requests.  Kathy found out that the hospital didn’t have them on file, and even if they did the directive is only effective for 90 days when they are brought in.  That’s not unusual, I found out, because most people are not in critical, need those documents shape for even close to 90 days.  And all anyone has to do is bring them every admission to reactivate.  Because I was the only nom-family person there, I volunteered to go to their house, find the documents, and bring them back.  I did and they rushed them to the back for everyone’s information.

As I sat back down, I was overwhelmed by the spiritual word picture and lessons I had just learned!  Richard and Kathy had had a normal day for them on Sat, and had NO idea that Richard would be almost dead within a few hours.  NONE.  But there they were, and there was Kathy, being asked questions about how Richard might want to leave this world or not!  And  they had to know THEN.  Not only that, they had to have PROOF of those wishes..just saying it was not enough!  Not only that, but it couldn’t be an “old” decision..they couldn’t rely on what might havw been done before.Here’s what God showed me: we ALL need an advance directive!  Not in the physical sense, but spiritually!  I understood when the nurses were explaining things that a decision was required, and immediately.  I understood that it had to be a resl decision, with proof supplied. And I understood that it couldn’t be somethinh in the past, that had expired…it had to be a living document, full of immediate power to do things!

And that is absolutely, 100% the truth of salvation and our eternity.  The day is promised to come for each one of us when we will be faced with death…and when we better have our decision made, our salvation and PROOF immediately available by our names written in the Book of Life.  We won’t need a physical document, but Jesus, standing there affirming that we are covered by His blood!

As I thought about the 90 expiration date, I was also amazed by this thought. Before Jesus, the Israelites had to constantly offer sacrifices for their sins.  Last week’s sin offering at the Temple was not sufficient for the next week..it would expire that day!  And while Kathy could stand there and say that Richard had made a decision and signed a document, that wasn’t good enough..they had to have it from Richard’s own signature!  Salvation is the same way!  When we fave Jesus, we will be alone..and even if we weren’t, no one could stand there and tell Jesus we had accepted him…it has to be our decision.  

Another thought also came from the expiration date. No one can go through the rituals at an early age..any ritual…and expect to rely on that as salvation. If it wasn’t genuine, if it didn’t change your life, it was not valid!  You can sign 100 cards, walk 100 aisles, and be baptized 100 times…but unless you are sealed by the living blood of Jesus, through His death and Ressurection, it is all in vain.  Your salvation has to be your decision, made possible by the faith that is a gift from God, and then your advance directive is a powerful, living testimony that Heaven is your home!!

When the phone rang in the waiting room, we were all so excited that the dr had GOOD news to share..surgery was much better than expected…and although Richard is still with us, he is not out of the woods.  But you know what?  If the news HAD been the other way, we know Richard’s decision..and we know he has his spiritual eternity settled.  Can you say the same??