Visiting Grampa

Today I was reading about the Inspiration of the Scriptures... How inspiration is God's assurance that all the accounts of scripture are free from human error (as originally written) The author goes on to talk about illumination. Both are the work of the Spirit, one is presently available to all, the later... well I can not fully understand, it is for believers, for those searching, for those who do not believe... but it doesn't happen to every person every time they open this Holy Book... I want to be frustrated as I ponder it ... but how can I . The Sovereign God created a way to convey His truth and our opportunity for redemption so simple that a child can understand yet so deep its mysteries will never be fully known.

So I visited by Grandpa yesterday, and Im still processing parts of the experience. The smells and somewhat distant staff were frustrating but as I stood in this Lutheran Medical Center I was very discouraged by the lack of celebration.

Grandpa's room is one wing over from the Alzheimer Unit, so some of the higher functioning patients sit in his lobby. Some mumble and peddle their wheelchairs in circles, others watch quietly, their eyes seeming to say 'I'm in here'. Amidst the quiet conversation and pattering of the physical therapy room there is a somber quietness. And it discouraged me.

No worship music, no deep connection between nurses and patients, no indication that the people sitting around me are perhaps measurably near eternity. It is more a magnifying glass of the fading humanity... and i wish it was different. I wish it was inspired. no i mean Inspired, spiritually. I wish the truth of God's love, transformation and redemption was a reality free from error. That the idea of fading humanity would be replaced with ... celebration, and an invitation to those who may not know Christ yet. I realize this type of inspiration i'm hoping for is not actually tangible, the Bible is inspired in a way which is Holy, I don't think anything can be inspired in the same exact way... but... the celebration is what i'm longing for.

Grandpa was lucid and humorous while i was there. He joked about Grammy shaving his face off and enjoyed my stories about Christopher chasing 'our' Groundhog. He even smirked when i told him that Pippin doesn't like wet grass. His smile is amazing! And even though I wish I could create the perfect environment for him, I share his hope. Grandpa has experience the illumination of the Holy Spirit when ready Scripture. He knows Christ deeply, and even though we don't have conversations about eternity or theology, I am very sure of his quiet confidence; that some day ( hopefully a long way off) Grandpa will be absent from this body and ever SO present with the Lord.