And Can It Be
BriefThe dungeon flamed with light…
My dad, living in another state, had another stroke. This time I couldn’t go to him because my husband was waiting for aneurysm surgery.
I felt so helpless. Not only because of the distance, but because my Dad and I had had so many fruitless conversations about his soul. He saw Christianity as a crutch for weak people. He didn’t like Christians and hated the idea of spending eternity with them, even if he had believed in life after death. When I sadly told him we would be left without consolation when he died, he just got mad and said he didn’t want anyone grieving over him. “When life is done, it’s done!” he muttered.
Since talking about Jesus only seemed to harden his heart I prayed for years that Jesus would be the one to talk to him – that God would give Dad a Damascus road experience like Paul. Only a personal eye-opening experience with Jesus Himself would change my Dad’s mind or heart.
Still, Mom stayed by Dad’s side telling him over and over that he was loved. After another stroke, he was unable to talk, imprisoned in his body. I wondered if God was giving him opportunity to taste the separation from loved ones while he still could choose the way of escape God provides.
One night I tossed and turned in my sleep as a phrase echoed in my head: dungeon flamed with light . . . dungeon flamed with light. In the morning I tried to place those words. Gradually a tune joined them and then I knew where to look: And Can It Be. Grabbing a hymnal, I found the words. “Long my imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin and nature’s night. Thine eye diffused a quickening ray; I woke – the dungeon flamed with light! My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.”
I believe God was letting me know He would answer my prayer. He would open Dad’s eyes to see Him and to recognize the truth about Jesus. What Dad would do then, was up to Dad, but he would receive a personal invitation from Jesus, to rise and “Follow Me.”
Thanksgiving Eve Mom phoned to say Dad had slipped into a coma, but she was at peace with having had opportunity to say good-by and sing to him about God’s love. She was going to go to her church’s Thanksgiving Eve service and then go back to the hospital.
When she returned, Dad’s life on earth was over. “He’s gone to meet the Lord,” she said. And she’s right. One way or another, everyone meets the Lord. I believe Jesus gave him a face to face last chance to follow Him. What Dad decided, I’ll have to wait and see, but what surprised us all was we were not left without consolation. We found unexpected consolation in the overwhelming confidence in God’s goodness – that whatever God decided to do with Dad, we knew God was good, and that was our peace and consolation.
Amazing love, how can it be, that God would use a song written over a century ago to bring His peace and consolation to this child.
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