Souls in the Shadows #1
I was holding his hand when he died.
In the middle of a prayer over his soul,
That beautiful soul rose up over us,
Holy and free,
Released from Intensive Care.
After many bouts with pneumonia and multiple treatments,
His lungs were finished.
They could give no more breath.
So the doctor pressed “off,”
And we waited with Billy on his reluctant walk out of this world.
For hours we kept hearing his final gasp,
But then another.
We gathered near,
Singing
“Take my hand,
Precious Lord,
Lead me home…”
He responded slightly,
But intently,
Desperately.
Billy was not respected by most people in the town.
He was something between a joke and a pity case.
He talked too much, said the wrong things and annoyed people.
Yet a beautiful spirit beamed through his scrappy smile nonetheless.
Through the mess, the light of God shined,
On eyes that did not want to see.
And so on this day, I held his hand.
Trying to make up for a life of too little hand holding.
God of grace, Receive his spirit!
Give him the home, security, and acceptance he longs for.
Precious Lord, take his hand.
Amen.
Worth Repeating
He walked with God, then he was no more…
Genesis 5:24
