Last night we attended a very special birthday party.
The birthday man is a respected businessman who had built up an international company, as well as a national company - he achieved and accumulated much in the business world.
He achieved all this success despite the fact that he is a diabetic. His very active life was how-ever, brusquely interrupted last year when he suffered a massive heart attack. The damage to his heart was, in fact, so severe that the professor who attended him was loath to operate on him at all. The medical man explained the very high risk to life; that that he might not live through the operation and left the decision to the patient and his family.
Let's call him Peter for the purpose of this entry. Peter and his family prayed about it, and whilst he was in hospital a very dear friend came to him and gave him the following verse from Scripture:
Ps. 118:17:
"I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord has
chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death."
Peter decided to make this Scripture his own and told his physician that they should proceed with the operation.
The rest is history! More than a year after the operation, we were privileged to celebrate his birthday with him. He told us that we, who were invited to share this celebration, were indeed hand-picked and although the invitations were sent out merely a week before the date of the event, it seems that everyone found the time to be there and one invitee from Botswana, just 'happened' to be in Cape Town at the right time.
The guests were varied - his physician attended, as well as his lawyer, his accountant, his p.a. of many years, some schoolfriends from Grade A, his wife, whom he dated from high school, his children, his grandchildren, members of their cell group from church, three pastors and their wives, friends - we were a motley group.
The purpose of the celebration he said in his speech about his life, is primarily to 'declare the works of the Lord'. He remarked that on the day he left the hospital, the professor saw him walking in the passage and shouted after him: 'You are a walking miracle, do you know that?' Secondly, it was to celebrate his birthday with us, to share this precious moment in his life. Thirdly, he declared his wife to be an angel from heaven. From my own experience, I agree with this statement!
Two of his grandsons were granted the privilege to ask him any questions they wanted and he had to answer within the 30 seconds allowed him by his p.a. One grandson wanted to know what he would receive for Christmas!
His one son-in-law talked about how after his operation, Peter who had been his father-in-law for years, became his father. His younger brother told how they were never close but how, after Peter's recovery, they have become closer and closer and are now sharing many precious moments.
Peter himself acknowledged the power of the prayers of his family and friends and the roll it played in his survival and recovery. His sickness and recovery brought together a band of about 70 - 80 people from all different walks of life in a bond that will always exist with him as the hub. We, although not all blood relatives of Peter and his wife, are in fact, their 'family' in our love and concern for them and their wellfare. Last night we all experienced what Ps. 133 sets out:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard,
the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the
dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord
commanded the blessing- Life forevermore."
There is another similar situation playing itself out in Gauteng at the moment. This event involves my own family. Again the closely knit family is standing together in unity and in prayer. My daughter-in-law has set up a support group on whattsapp and this enables family and friends from all over to be involved in support, also with life and strength infusing prayer for the patient and loved ones. What miracles prayer bring about! What a miracle technology is! How we appreciate the privilege of being involved in this way. Prayer changes things! It has been proven times without count!
God willing we will also be able to celebrate another birthday next year in this greater family as well!
Thank You, Lord, that You answer prayer and recognise and value unity amongst brethren and sisters and that we are able to declare Your works from day to day in many different lives and circumstances surrounding and involving ourselves and our loved ones. Blessed be Your Name!
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