I heard a story about a miracle today....

I heard something today that really touched my heart and I want to share it with you.

My story starts when I stopped to ask a coworker (and friend) how her brother and sister-in-law are doing since their son passed away last week. He was a fairly young man (20's or 30's I believe) who had brain cancer that he had been battling for the last year and 1/2. Every time the doctors would remove the tumors, they would come back more aggressively. Our prayer group had been praying for him for a while, so even though I didn't know him personally I feel a connection to him and his family.We prayed regularly for his healing from this cancer, and in a sense he was healed. It wasn't the physical healing we desired, but a more complete healing of his spirit and a release from the pain and weakness of this life.

** And that is a beautiful thought (one I believe wholeheartedly) but I am not sure that it is as comforting for his parents as it sounds. They miss him. Yes, he is free, but he isn't here. I don't know his parents, and I am not a parent myself, but my heart grieves for them.**

Back to my narrative....

My friend was telling me about this young man's last day and she told me that not long before he passed away he was sitting and talking with his mom. In the middle of their talk he suddenly closed his eyes and his head fell to the side. For a moment his mother thought he was gone, but she could see that he was still breathing. After a short time he opened his eyes and he had this beautiful glow and peace about him. He began to tell his mother about the angels he had seen. At this point his mom knew that his time was close, but she also found that his peace was her peace as well. She told my friend later that she knew that this experience was a gift from God for him and for her and their family. A small glimpse of the perfection of heaven.

So, right now someone somewhere is probably thinking something like "it was just a delusion" or some such thing. To that I say, And??? Does that make it any less miraculous? Not to my mind. My God can work all things together for good to those who love Him. (Romans 8:28) All things. Even brain cancer. 

Someone else out there may be saying now, "well sure you can look at it like that if you want". And I say, why wouldn't we want to see it that way? And how many miracles have we overlooked in our lives because we chose not to see them as such? How many times has God sent me a blessing and then watched me walk right past it, so consumed with my own thoughts and worries that I miss the gifts he has laid at my feet?

That's what he did for this family. He gave them a glimpse of His peace, His mercy, and His divine love for their son. He gave them hope for a new and radically different future, one where their son is healed and whole, complete in the presence of our Father, and waiting patiently and joyfully for them to join him at the end of their individual journeys. 

That is a miracle, a beautiful miracle. And it touches my heart. I hope it touches yours too.