David loved Jesus | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: David loved Jesus | Previous Challenge Entry
By Brigitte Hidalgo
04/19/08
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David loved Jesus. One knew he had a grip on the way the Spirit worked. He never fretted or seemed discontent. I only saw his face cloud when there was dissension in the family. He had genuine concern for youth. He would counsel me about the dangers of what the world offered. I often shrugged off his counsel. But his words had a way of lingering in my thoughts. His love for me had a way of penetrating my stubborn young heart.

I believe his happiest times involved music and family. David played guitar. He would perform for all the cousins and we would dance! We liked to take turns on grandma’s hearth, our stage. Dave also loved to dance. He and Momma could twist like no other. I loved to watch them work the dance floor at weddings. They had been dancing together since they were teens.

David and I were separated by miles and circumstances once I was an adult. But whenever there was the rare opportunity to see him. I was blessed with his wide smile, and the complete attention of his awesome love. He remained sweet through years of hardship, and broken relationships. Always, he grabbed onto the Lord in his times of need. And always, I was inspired by his faith.

The times I hold onto most, however, were the last days. I know that sounds odd, but the way Dave looked and behaved before Jesus took him, can only be described as miraculous. He was healthy and vibrant until the day he began having back pain and symptoms indicating sciatica.The doctors gave him pain pills, but they didn’t help. Fortunately, Dave had recently moved back to California, near Mom, Grandma, and me. It was one of the many ways God showed He was with us.

One day, as Dave lowered himself painfully into a chair, his pelvic bone snapped. The scan revealed the culprit; cancer. He was diagnosed with stage 4 bone cancer. We were faced with the question, What is the will of God? We were clear on what we wanted, a HEALING! David clung to the One he had clung to in Vietnam, through broken marriages, and in every storm he had weathered. He looked beautiful. His skin tone changed, his body bloated, and it was obvious he was under great physical stress. But again, I tell you, he was radiant! He was more worried about the stress his illness caused his loved ones than the pain he was in.

David was sent home unexpectedly. It gave us hope he was beating the cancer. But God’s plan was to give us all a time to visit and pray with him, beyond the constraints of the veteran’s hospital. He was weak, and his voice but a whisper. But in his words was power, peace, and love. His concern was for the welfare of his wife and mother. Once when Grandma left the room, he grabbed my hand, stared into my eyes, and whispered his hope for us all. He encouraged me to hold tight to the Lord. I felt in my heart, these were parting words. I replied as we all had for months, words of encouragement, and faith that healing would come. His eyes held sorrow just for me. He knew it wasn’t to be. When Grandma returned she had oil to anoint her son with. A godlier woman I have never known. She began to place the oil on his forehead. He stopped her and asked if his niece could pray for him. I don’t know why, but that was exactly what I needed in that moment. I had never anointed anyone with oil. Once I placed my finger on his forehead the Spirit filled me with words that were not of me. As I drove home that Saturday afternoon, It occurred to me that I had anointed my uncle for death. He died three days later.

The life of Uncle David has been inspirational to me. But witnessing the death of my uncle was possibly the most life changing, awesome example of God’s perfect love I have seen. I feel honored to have been there in his final days, praying with him as he journeyed closer to the Savior’s loving arms. I saw peace in his face that only Jesus can provide. Knowing my uncle is dancing, possibly doing the twist, in heaven, is a joy to me. I know we will all dance together again, one day!

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