A couple of months back, a middle aged man came to me for treatment of his Diabetes. Lean and slender, not more that 5 ft. in height, he looked pale and worn out. His blood sugar was very high. When I told him that, he said he didn't care. He continued, "Last week I took an overdose of Insulin, wanting to die; I lost conciousness,when I woke up I was in the hospital, my wife had taken me there in an ambulance on finding me unconcious." Poor planning, he added, I should have walked away from home after taking the overdose, no one would have known.
Why do you want to die? I asked. No one cares for me, that's why, he said. Talking further, he told me how he had worked day and night to support his family, lived in pitiable conditions in the gulf for some 25 years, helped his sons to complete their education, but now they didn't care about him. I talked about God. He said he was an Aethist. I told him, "No wonder God brought you here."
That set up a discussion. He was stinking of alcohol, but I thought I may not get another chance. He was not in agreement but he said, "I'll come back to hear more."I gave him a couple of my books as he left and asked him to go through them. He agreed. He came back a couple of weeks later and I enquired how he was. I'm O.K. he said, and then added, "I couldn't get your face out of my mind for the past 2 weeks." Can you explain, he asked.
I laughed thinking of the ways of the Lord. He looked perplexed. Then I said, "I hope God replaces my face with his in your mind."
I talked to him again about Christ's love for him. He didn't seem to agree and left a little while later. But I was happy, a seed had been sown. My part in the great plans of God in his life had probably been done. Never saw him again. Perhaps will. Only God knows. Perhaps another person has taken over the baton from me in God's scheme of things.
Why do you want to die? I asked. No one cares for me, that's why, he said. Talking further, he told me how he had worked day and night to support his family, lived in pitiable conditions in the gulf for some 25 years, helped his sons to complete their education, but now they didn't care about him. I talked about God. He said he was an Aethist. I told him, "No wonder God brought you here."
That set up a discussion. He was stinking of alcohol, but I thought I may not get another chance. He was not in agreement but he said, "I'll come back to hear more."I gave him a couple of my books as he left and asked him to go through them. He agreed. He came back a couple of weeks later and I enquired how he was. I'm O.K. he said, and then added, "I couldn't get your face out of my mind for the past 2 weeks." Can you explain, he asked.
I laughed thinking of the ways of the Lord. He looked perplexed. Then I said, "I hope God replaces my face with his in your mind."
I talked to him again about Christ's love for him. He didn't seem to agree and left a little while later. But I was happy, a seed had been sown. My part in the great plans of God in his life had probably been done. Never saw him again. Perhaps will. Only God knows. Perhaps another person has taken over the baton from me in God's scheme of things.