"GRANDPA'S FAITH"
(A Story of True Forgiveness)

As a teenager one night in Tenaha Texas, my Grandpa Myers stopped on his late night patrol to speak with me. I asked if his old .32 revolver was loaded.

He replied, "Yeah son, but the bullets are old." I asked, "How long has it been since you last replaced them?"

"Well, it's been years now. I've never changed the bullets since the day I started patrolling. I've never had to fire it. Except one night I did draw it when the Baxter boys came to town a-drinkin' and shootin' off a shotgun."

"Was you scared Grandpa?" I asked.

"Yeah. A little. But it was my job to straighten them out and I knew they were just lettin' off steam."

I asked to check his gun.

I said, "Grandpa! You need some new bullets! The casings are green! These bullets may not even fire!"

"I just speak kindly to people with firmness. The good Lord always solves any problems when He's in your heart! Well, I have to make another round. Tell your Granny it's a quite night." he said, driving on.

Grandpa's faith clearly was seen by me and it caused me to do some thinking. It was the weekend and the temptation to find a ride to the bootlegger's house had been on my mind. Instead, I walked to Granny's and told her what he said, then went to my room.

I laid upon my bed listening to the train passing and thought about God.

When Grandpa made the news in the newspaper after apprehending a wanted Houston fugitive, I asked him about it.

He replied, "Yeah son, wanted criminals usually stop in small towns, thinking the law there is laxed. But I always can tell the wanted ones. I think it's a gift the good Lord 'give me' to help me out!"

Grandpa patrolled all over town but he always kept his eye on late night stoppers at the only opened gas station.

When the discernment hit him, he'd offer suspicious characters friendly conversation and free coffee.

In the case of the wanted murderer, he put a full pot of coffee out of sight and picked up an empty pot so he wouldn't have to lie when he stated, "This pot is empty. Let me make you some fresh Folgers coffee."

While the pot was perkin' with the wanted man waiting patiently, Grandpa made a private radio check on his license plate to Center. When the report came back that the man was wanted, Grandpa kept the man talking until back up arrived for the arrest.

While the criminal may have been thinking, "This is such a nice, hick watchman..." the bust went down and his hands went up!

While he was looking for a pick-me-up, it was the Folgers and Grandpa's faith that brought him down!

"Yeah. I was just hopin' I wouldn't run out of things to talk about that was of interest to the man. But then we got to talkin' 'bout the Dallas Cowboys.

I tried to steer away from talking about cars or what line of work he might be in, since that might make him suspicious. Before the coffee was done, I had back up from Center. You know it's not every day you talk football with a murderer." he said smiling.

I miss that smile. But I know beyond question, Grandpa's faith carried him in death as it had in life.

My Grandparents were filled with the Holy Spirit in 1975 at a small country church service where I was preaching that night.

Grandpa suddenly took off in a run and it shocked me. I first thought, "What is he doing?" It then became apparent he was under the influence of an almighty God.

He started doing a jig and a shout went out. Granny had screamed as she was falling down. I started to wonder what was wrong with Granny, until it became apparent she was also under the influence.

Both had been resistant to such displays. Grandpa had once stated he'd never run or dance in a church house. Grandma had once stated she'd never fall on the floor "like those Pentecostals!"

Both of their own religious rules were broken and they loved every minute of it! Both had always been so reserved and quiet but their praises to God were heard that night.

Years of joy passed, until Grandpa Myers' health began to fail, mainly due to his age and his past smoking habit. His health soon started affecting his good reason ability, especially after a tumor was discovered.

A number of times Grandpa was at death's door, sick in a hospital, and the Lord would move me at all hours to pray for him. He would get better and I felt his life had been extended many times.

Years ago, in my thirties, I had asked a little prayer for God to reveal it to me whenever the time would come that Grandpa would pass. If possible, I simply wanted a little more time with him before his death. We had been so close, and he always called me his son.

On March 25, of 1997, I was awakened at 5:47 AM with an urgency from God to pray for Grandpa again. I was exhausted and dozed back off. Again I was awakened sharply at 5:58 AM and the urgency was so strong that, as I tried not to awaken Carmen, she sensed it too and awoke.

She asked, "What's wrong?!" I replied, "Grandpa Myers needs our prayers!"

I stood on my porch and wept, crying, "God how should I pray!"

I was specifically instructed to open my Bible to: Lev 14:28-29.
28) And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:

29) And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD. (KJV)

I read it, then stretched my hand out to plea the blood of Jesus over the tip of Grandpa's right ear, right thumb, the great toe of his right foot and his head, just as the scripture reads, without question, but not really understanding why.

I continued in prayer, unconcerned with the time. I just continued to pray, pleading the blood of Jesus with faith.

I prayed, pleaing the blood of Jesus on Grandpa's behalf until what I thought was a vision occurred.

I saw Grandpa dancing in the way only Grandpa could do. Only he was dancing in mid air without solid ground under his feet, holding his arms out to a bright light. He was so joyful and smiling and his countenance was white and full of light in the glory of God.

I felt relieved. I felt like whatever problem there might have been, it was ok.

I quickly went back inside and sat on the couch. Carmen asked, "I know whatever concern you were praying over was important. I was praying too. Do you think your Grandpa is ok?"

Before answering, The Lord instructed me that it was important to take note of the time. It was 7:03 AM.

I replied, "He's had a break through honey. It's ok! Maybe we can call him later. Do we have enough eggs for breakfast?" I asked.

Before any breakfast could be attempted, a wonderful, delightful spirit came over us. It felt so good, (for having been so exhausted), and I went back to the porch with thanksgiving. The Spirit of God began to swell up in me with so much joy I could hardly stand it. I just slid my back against the porch wall and slumped down laughing.

I stayed laughing for what seemed the longest time. At least an hour. Whenever I tried to stop laughing, I laughed harder! Soon I was crawling and rolling over in the grass with laughter in the front yard. It was pure, sweet holy laughter that filled me with strength.

Carmen also received such joy and she began to let out praises to God with laughter. Finally, we both got so worn out laughing we had to pray that it would ease, but we really didn't want it to stop!

But our sides were hurting and our throats were getting sore. Finally we were able to discuss the matter.

"Whew...something good just happened to Grandpa this morning! Thank you Jesus! What do you think it is?" she asked.

"Don't know Hon, but God is moving! What ever happened is going to be far reaching in the family."

Later that day my Dad called and asked if I was sitting down. He had bad news.

"It's Grandpa son."

"What's wrong Dad. How is he?"

"Son Granddaddy is gone." He died this morning."

"WHAT! Oh God! NO! ......How come? Of what?"

My Dad then explained to me the details:
Grandpa Myers awoke early, shaved and took a bath, put on his best clothes, cooked breakfast for Granny, (himself not eating), and went out to their garden in Tenaha and sat down in it.

"Son, he shot himself with his old .32 service revolver in the garden!" Dad sorrowfully stated.

Later I discovered, according to a passing witness, that Grandpa had shot himself in his right ear, at 7:01 AM -with his right thumb trembling on the hammer just before he fired.

He finally got to fire one of those green bullets. (crying)

The joyful smile and the jig I had seen him doing just after 7 AM was his passing- on his way to Glory Land, while my hands were raised in prayer in his behalf on my porch. The vision was more than just a vision. It was a glimpse into God's Eternal Spirit World that allowed me to witness the exact moment of his crossing over!

God granted that "thirty-something" prayer, and we did have that little time together before his passing.

That glorious feeling we were feeling was the presence of the opened veil of the Holies of Holy, while not really knowing for sure that Grandpa had stepped through.

Any wrong on his part, can not be seen...it is impossible to be seen because it is atoned by the blood of Jesus in redemption...as covered over with pitch! Expiated!

Jesus, our High Priest, and The Living Word, is very much alive seeking to save, according to God's main principal purpose that He is not willing that any should perish.

According to scripture, we are His body.

(1 Cor 12:27- Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. KJV)

The Lord, knowing Grandpa's mind set, had us to intercede and stay in intercessional prayer in the hour of his death, even to the moment of his passing by the trespass of his own hand!

After the reminding of how Priests were called upon in the old covenant, to make intercessional prayer with natural anointing of oil for trespass offerings, God simply responded:

"How hard is it to believe that I can apply the spiritual anointing of the precious blood of MY Lamb, through an avenue of prayer from a called present day priest's hand.... to make an atonement for him before the LORD?"

It made sense, but I was still puzzled about the deeper meanings behind the "ear", "thumb", "right foot" and "the head" issue. So I asked Him about that too.

This is what He let me know:

"The tip of the right ear" is a type of ~Whichever influence man may listen to!

"The thumb of the right hand" is a type of ~Whatever man may give his strength to!

"The great toe of the right foot" is a type of ~Wherever a man's steps may walk or lead him!

"The head (of him)" is a type of ~The sum rank of total heightened redemption!

The "Whichever!" "Whatever!" & "Wherever!" were all covered in total redemption in Grandpa's circumstance!

Our circumstances do not limit God, nor is His hand shortened...even in some trespass cases man considers unforgivable! For God, knowing all conditions in which a true believer may sub comb to in a moment of weakness or pain, considers not as man does, but acts in true justice, making a way where there seems to be no way!

While I could never condone mercy killings of any kind, it is God who makes the final judgement on whom to accept or reject!

Although it all appears very sad in the natural sense, it is only because I know by spiritual intervention thru the workings of the Holy God of Israel in Grandpa's moment of need, that I can write this in clarity of heart and mind. Knowing he IS among the redeemed!

However, this event sorrowed my mother and her sisters so intensely. That was their Christian Daddy!

He brought them though the times of the Great Depression when Grandpa only made twenty-five cents a week to live on after a 50 hour work week!; when my mom only had one dress to wear, made from a rough, brown feed sack; when their only water source was drawing water in a bucket from a well that contained rusty hard water; when the drains on the house were used to catch fresh drinking water in barrels.

Grandpa had always been the strong one. Now that Mom's whole family was filled with the Holy Ghost, how could God allow this?...she thought.

It was His grace, with the knowledge of God's forgiveness behind the events in this testimony, that brought my mother peace.

It was only 5 years ago that this occurred, but I have not written anything about this until today.

How important it is to be obedient in prayer when called upon, regardless of the hour, or regardless how tired one's body and mind may be.

I almost didn't rise from my bed that morning.

Not that anyone's salvation hinges on any act we could ever do, but as scripture so clearly reveals; we become more and more in every way like Jesus who is the Head of his body, the Church. Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly, and each part in its own special way helps the other parts, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. ((*))

GRANDPA'S FAITH © Copyright 2002
by Chaplain Scott.
All rights reserved to Chaplain Scott
"Inspiration With An AttiTUDE!"

Written Sat. Jun 22, 2002 5:36 am CST.
((*Eph 4:15))

In Memory of Leon Myers.
Oct. 27, 1909-March 25, 1997. (Grandpa)

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