Answered Prayers

If you are not a member of Lowell Church of Christ, the name Pam Brewer may not mean anything to you. If you are a member of this community, she has been in our hearts, minds, and prayers for most of the last year.

Shortly after I arrived at LCOC last summer, Pam was diagnosed with ALS. It is a disease that has no cure, and it is terminal. Though the disease supposedly has no hereditary nature, Pam lost both her mother and a sister to this illness. It tends to work slowly, and cause lots of pain for the inflicted.

The community at LCOC has spent much of the past year praying for healing. We prayed in private, in groups, and as a congregation asking that God would allow her to be healed of this disease.

Tuesday, the disease finished its work, and Pam Brewer left this earth to be with the Lord. Though some would look at this situation and see God ignoring our prayers, I see that God answered our prayers in ways that were better than could be imagined. Let me explain.

First, we prayed several months ago that Pam would be able to sing for her husband one last time (the disease attacks muscles and makes it hard to breathe). A little over a month after we started this prayer, she recorded a CD of some of her favorite hymns and choruses so that George may show their grandchildren the beauty of her voice. God answered that prayer.

We prayed that God would be glorified through this terrible circumstance. I have witnessed Pam and George reaching out to others in pain from sickness and death in a way that no one else could. They showed the mercy of God to others even in the midst of their hardship. God was most definetly glorified.

Tuesday morning, during our ministers meeting, we recieved news that Pam was not doing well. We prayed that morning that if it was not God's will to heal her, that he would not allow her to suffer a long, painful death. We recieved a call less than 10 minutes later telling us that Pam had went to the Lord. God took her quickly, and in so doing healed her forever.

As a Christian, I hate death. Death is a product of sin (see Romans 5:12). I hate the fact that death exists. Sins existence means that death also exists. However, we do not weep at the death of Pam, because though death exists, its sting is gone.

"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the moreal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swalled up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:54-56

We miss Pam, but we do not grieve that she is gone. We celebrate that we know where she has gone.

Therefore, let me close with two quotations. First is a quote from James Wheldon Johnson the famous poet. Second, I will quote the next verse from 1 Corinthians 15.

"Weep not, Weep not
She is not dead,
She's resting in the arms of Jesus"--JWJ

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor n the Lord is not in vain."--Paul

Grace and Peace