A phone call from a friend…….

Last night I had a dream about a phone call from a friend.

The story starts a long time ago.

Almost three decades ago I worked for a coal company in Eastern Kentucky.  I met a man about my age who was very wealthy.  His family owned a successful coal company and he was one of it’s officers.  He lived in, what passes for a mansion, in our area and drove the first S Class Mercedes I’d ever seen. He had a beautiful family and everything a man could want, except a relationship with Christ.  As we got to know each other I witnessed to him many times, and though he never accept Christ, he was tolerant of my efforts. As time passed we got to know each other much better and he became more open to faith.  One night he called  and asked me if I would come to his home and pray with him.  It was the night of a major snow storm and I drove for thirty miles to his house in blinding snow.  We prayed togeth, but he couldn’t get past his fear that he could not be forgiven for all his sins.  I drove home still in blowing snow, but without a victory.

Time passed and we drifted apart seeing less of each other as a few years passed.  I hear that he and his wife divorced and that he had had health issues, but was never able to reach him. Then more time passed.  Then I found that I needed to reach him and called his family to find out where he had moved to, away from our area.  They gave me a phone number and I called him.  When we talked on the phone he sounded different but we were both older and I didn’t think that much of it.  He gave me his address and I drove the 2 hours to where he lived.  When I pulled up to the address I was shocked to see that it was an assisted living facility.  It turns out that he had been diagnosed with MS and was in such bad shape, physically, that he needed constant care.  We visited and he was amazingly up beat!  When we talked further he told me that when he had to go to the facility, where he lived, shortly after that, his father died and it all came crashing down on him.  He finally reached out to God and asked him to come into his heart!  I don’t think I’ve ever see a person more at peace, in spite of what had befallen him.  When I left, I went out to the car and wept, not for him, but for me!  I was so ashamed of how much more dependent he was on God than myself, I could see clearly what real dependance looked like.

For years we renewed our friendship and he ministered to me in our many visits.  Then a few years ago his body finally gave out and he went to be with the Lord.

Last night I dreamed that my phone rang and when I answered it I knew his voice immediately.  I said, ” I didn’t think you could make phone calls from up there!?”  He laughed that wonderful, warm laugh of his, and said, “You would be surprised all the things we can do up here.”  I told him that I missed him, and asked if heaven was as wonderful as we have been told?  He said, “You have no idea!”  The he said,  “I have to go, but I wanted to tell you, thank you my friend!”  I said, “I look forward to catching up someday, please say hi to everyone for me!”  He simply said a phrase I’ve heard him say so often, “Will do.”

I have no idea whether or not Ronnie called me last night, only God knows for sure.  What I do know is that I would drive through another blinding snow storm, anytime,  to plant seeds that might result in a man’s finding his Heavenly Father.   “Ronnie if you did call, thank you for all you taught me, see you soon my friend, and thank Jesus for both of us….”   I’m pretty sure he said, “Will do!”

the pilgrim