AUG 22: HIS PLAN

I’m Judy Baird and I have attended VBC Altamont for 7 years. I’m married to Ray and have 4 children and 13 grandchildren. I’ve been involved with Bible studies, women’s events, and Sunday school classes.

Through this time of COVID-19 we’ve experienced isolation from many normal activities and procedures. Yet, during this time God is still at work. He desires that we lean on his strengths, abide in His love, provision, and plan, and shine His light wherever there is darkness.

During this time, he has given me opportunities to strengthen and encourage others through prayer, Scripture, and caring. In late March, my 91-year-old mother was put under hospice care. She had Alzheimer’s and had declined quite suddenly. Usually the hospice team is on board inside her residence, but due to lockdown, a nurse was only allowed in twice a week. My brother could no longer see her daily, so I felt isolated and frustrated. I had been calling her daily for over two years, even though the last 6 months she didn’t know who I was—I still called, prayed for her, sang hymns to her—to which she would sometimes sing along—and quoted or read Scripture to her—the Psalms often calmed her. I continued this during the last month of her life even though her response was very limited. 

I knew I could not go see her to comfort her in person and just be there. This was not my plan. I remember saying to my daughter, “Mom is all alone,” yet God quietly said, “She is not alone; I am there.” His plan! Mom was a Christian and the Holy Spirit was in her. John 14:16 says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you”. And Jesus says in John 14:26-27a, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” So, I kept talking to Jesus and asked Him to be with her and let her know He was there. Knowing that it was her last day or two, I gave her children and grandchildren a phone number they could call to say goodbye. God gave us a gift in the person of Julia. She facilitated call after call from her 3 children, 9 grandkids, and great grandkids, and she held the phone to Mom’s ear for each call. Many of them prayed, cited Scripture, said loving words, and reiterated the gospel message of assurance to her. I continue to pray that Julia saw the light of Jesus and heard the prayers and songs, including The Lord’s Prayer, which I prayed, and the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:22-27, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you: the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give peace.” After her last granddaughter gave the above blessing, Mom went home to be with Jesus 35 minutes later. We rejoiced she was with Him and free from pain, sin, and death. Again, His plan.

Burying my mom wasn’t how I envisioned it. Three of us at the graveside, not my plan. Yet again, I said good-bye and we recited Psalm 23 and sang Amazing Grace as the mortuary people stood and listened; His plan fulfilled for Mom. I was able to choose the gravestone and had a cross and Bible put on it, thus shining the light of Jesus to those who might journey to her grave.

Little did I know, I would again be on this journey of death a month later, as my brother-in-law Gary lost his battle with cancer. He was a non-believer, to my knowledge, but I was privileged to be there in spirit with him and his children. I prayed for him and his children, for comfort, and talked with them and shared that others were praying, too. Gary shared a letter stating that those in our family were the first non-hypocritical Christians he had known, and thanked us for loving and caring for his family. Little did he know how often he had been prayed for. I am trusting God that seeds planted for his glory will grow in his family, giving more, continual opportunity for prayer, care, and hospitality toward my sister and brother-in-law’s children and grandchildren.

I’d like to share one more opportunity God has provided to make Himself known during this time of lockdown. I am thankful for our technologies. Through them we can still offer prayer, comforting words, reassurance, and messages of Jesus’ great love and sacrifice. God always provides a way to make Himself known to us and others. I have been able to help counsel, pray with, and cite Scripture to a woman with mental health issues. There have been many phone calls. I always ask God for the right words to say and am aware of my human limitations. The Holy Spirit has brought many Scriptures to the forefront of my mind to share love, hope, and truth with her. He has strengthened me with patience and compassion for her, yet not veer away from truth when she believes lies. I have had opportunities to pray for and care for her mother as well, during this difficult season. I will continue to pray and seek God in this situation, knowing he hears and cares, because that is the character of God. Knowing Scripture and scriptural truth has helped me to be more like Jesus and represent Him in my sphere of influence. God is faithful and has given me opportunities to pray diligently, speak boldly, care compassionately, and trust God’s word. I am amazed and delighted that God has used even this strange time of COVID-19 to give me opportunities to serve Him and others, and shine a light—even a cell phone light—into the darkness. Thanks be to God!

Anchored in Peace,

Judy Baird