Encounter With the King

This is an e mail that I wrote on January 6, 2008 regarding my father's death on December 26, 2007 (2 weeks after he was baptized and publicly confessed His surrender to God). It has been slightly revised so that those who do not know the situation could follow. The fact that I wrote this on 1/6 is significant as you will see.




Sent: Sun 1/6/2008 4:04 PM


Subject: God's blessing


I wanted to share this story with someone because it has impacted me so profoundly...


This is testimony of how God took this tragic situation and made it His. While in practically a constant state of prayer day in and day out over the last 2 years for Papi's healing, I realized how selfish my prayers where. Still, I continued to pray, knowing that I was asking for my will to be done not His. I couldn't let go... I didn't even want to ask Him to help me let go; I just wanted Papi healed. I even preposterously tried reasoning with God! As if I had a chance! Finally, I began to pray for the ability to entrust my will to Him, and little by little, He did.


As Papi's lifeless body lay on the middle of the sunroom floor, minutes after the paramedics pounded on his chest, violently shocked his frail body, and finally pronounced him to be dead, I looked at his face and was suprised to see that he had the most peace filled smile on his face, one that words could not come close to describing, and not do to be understated. It wasn't an illusion or some sort of after death facial contortion. It was so penetrating, that someone in the house took a picture of it! I have never seen such a perfectly content look on anyone's face. This simple but abysmal facial expression was surely God revealing himself to me! Just think, if my heart aches just thinking about it this indirect view of Him, I can't imagine looking at God himself right in His face!!!


This provoked an awesome epiphany. This simple event made the meaning of salvation eminently personal. I now have a new understanding; the veil over my eyes has disolved. I cannot put into words how humbled, and overwhelmingly grateful I am now for the sacrifice God has made for us. . . for me!! Moreover, what the sacrifice was for! The words "eternal life" were electrically surged with breathing consciousness. All of my doubts about God's promise disappeared; He has allowed me to get a peek of a piece of Heaven! Look at how a mere glimpse has impacted me, imagine an eternity there.


I now am sure of where I am going when I die, and I know where Papi is. God has revealed to me his Glory and the reality of my salvation! He has manifested Himself in the face of my earthly father. This has truly been a momentous and lucid time in my walk with Christ. Not only am I able to surrender my will, but I have an extraordinary understanding of what being a Christian is. These are two of many blessings that came with the death of my father.


(P.S.  WOW!!   while looking up the word epiphany to make sure I spelled it correctly, I found that it not only means
 "a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience."

it also means


1. a Christian festival, observed on January 6 , commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelfth-day. [funny I chose today to write this huh?]


2. an appearance or manifestation, esp. of a deity.


How about that?



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