Now 14th March 2023

 

A letter from God

 

I was acting Secretary in the South Australian Government Public Works Standing Committee (PWSC) 1n 1989. This was an important Government Committee considering State issues. I was asked to take the position when the Secretary was on extended leave.

 

The Chairman of the Conmmittee, a few weeks after I arrived, became very ill with Asthma and Emphysema and was rushed to Hospital.

I recall saying to the lass in the office, assisting me, "I think I should go and see Joe at the Hospital ( Joe not his real name for obvious reason).

There was an old Bible in a drawer at the office which I pulled out and opened without thinking. The first words I read were "THE PRIEST WILL TAKE HOLY WATER IN AN EARTHEN VESSEL". I knew instantly that this word in the Bible was from God. He was the Priest and I was the very earthen, somewhat hesitent vessel, assigned as it were to take a word to Joe in hospital. Joe was a rather rough diamond, actually quite illiterate to be in such an important role, but he had a brilliant memory for things.

The following day I rang the Hospital to see if I could visit Joe. A nurse answered the phone and said No! Joe is so sick, he is in intensive care in a room with 6 other patients and only next of Kin can visit him. I almost breathed a sigh of relief when the nurse suddenly said "Just wait a moment and I will tell Keith you have called". She came back and said "Graham if it is only you and not the boys he would like to see you".

Who were the boys? 6 members of Parliament one of whom later became the State Premier.

The next day I visited Joe and said "Joe I have come to visit you but to be honest I have really come to pray for you. Joe replied "I am not a religous man Graham, but if you want to pray for me do so, my wife is a Catholic and my children go to church occasionally". I knelt at his bedside, 6 other men were in the room and prayed a simple prayer that the Lord would heal him. He was releasedform Hospital a week or so later quite well. 

I received a letter from him not long after visiting him. It was written by his personal secretary, because of his illiteracy in wtiting. He dictated to her that he had been srangely warmed by my visit and felt a great sense of relief . His signature is at the bottom of the letter which I still have to this day.

The amazing sequal to this story, for me, is that some 10 or so years later I Came down with Rheumatic fever. I had damge to a Mitral Valve requiring open heart surgery. After the operation I was a little stressed when I noted air bubbles, in a tube linked to my arm, and spoke to a nurse about it, who really just brushed my concern aside. I was bothered by that. When the senior nurse Mary came along I apologided if I had in any way been short with the other nurses attitude. To my surprise Mary said "It is alright, sweetie she called me, we know how feel "would you like me to pray for you". It was astonishing, hree I was, in an intensive care ward with 6 other patients in the room, and a nurse knelt at my bedside and prayed for me. As she did so I heard th Lord say to me - see Graham what I will do for you when you do what I ask you to do for me.

It is now 20 years since my operation and I know God through Christ is my Saviour and Redeemer 

I have experienced since other astonishing moments, allbeit years apart at times, but God's written word is alive and active today. 

Many Prohesies inscripture have come to pass but on the whole man does not seem to realise that God alone is still in control of everything that is happening on this earth, every moment every day.

I pray that anyone reading what I have said here will come to know that Jesus Christ died for them on that cross and bore their sins for all time. Nothing you or I can do in this world can really achieve anything. Christ has done it for you. You simply have to say thankyou Lord and then go about life as best you can taking care of the widow, the orphan,the sick and the needy and loving your neighbour as yourself.

Time now seems headed mor quickly to when Christ will return. The end time I believe possibly began when Christ died and rose again some 2,000 years ago. In Peter 2 Chapter 3 we read For the Lord, a thousand years is but a day. 2 days have therefore passed, we are now in the third day. Interestingly Christ rose early morning on the third day. Only the Father knows when the end of time will be. Christ himself did not know.

We need to be ready at all times for that Cloud, in Revelation Chapter1 when Christ with all his angels will appear.Then the whole earth, including those who pierced him, will wail and bow down realising that Christ really was the Son of God sent to restore life to all who truly beleive and worship Him

 

Grahan Byrne

Who am I - I am a reired Civil Engineer and part planner. I am a sinner like everyone else, an ordinary guy, who by the grace of God knows Christ died for me and all who have ever lived and wanted to do the best they could in life and Know God alone is in control of everyhing.