Lessons From Uncle Dave, Part III

A Time To Be Restored
Robin and I had the opportunity to visit with Dave in the hospital a couple of weeks before he really started to go downhill. As we were leaving Robin hugged him and asked if there was anything we could do for him. He said, "I really want to be baptized." That was music to Robin's ears...as it was something she had been praying about fervently for a long time.

So we made arrangments to come back the next day to baptize him. It was a Sunday afternoon. Dave was hooked up to more electronic devices than I had ever seen...so we had to improvise slightly. While Robin and Tracy were getting things ready with the nurses, I had a chance to visit with Malorie, Dave's 7-year old granddaughter, about what we were going to do.

"So what does this mean," she asked me?

"Well...this is your Opa's way of showing God that he's sorry for the things he's done...and, from now on, he's going to live every moment for Him."

Malorie thought about it for a moment then remarked, "So God is proud."

"You bet He is."

"And I'll bet God is very happy, too."

A little lump grew in my throat. "You know, I don't guess God has ever been happier with your Opa than he is today."

So we baptized Dave as best we could. We prayed over him, we cried over him, and we rejoiced with him...because he had been restored.

Webster defines restored as "being made new." What a perfect definition...and what a great feeling. And while I rejoiced with Dave and the assurance that he had of a home with Jesus in Heaven, I also rejoiced in the opportunity that God gave me to grow.

More than one person expressed apprehension at the curious timing of Dave's confession, repentance and baptism. Sadly, there are many Christians that are not big fans of the "eleventh hour" quest for salvation. Some of us who have heeded the Great Commission and strive to perform the will of Jesus seem to think that there is a minimum amount of service necessary before your restoration can be regarded as authentic.

But Christ obviously knew that would be the case. In the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), Jesus mentions the anger and jealousy of those who worked a full day. When they saw that those who had worked only an hour received the same payment as them they were appalled. To be honest I had never given much thought to that parable until I heard of the reaction some Christians had to Dave's conversion.

It made me sad.

No...it made me angry.

But I can't let garbage like that rob me of the joy of knowing that Dave was restored.