He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. (Psalms 112:7 NKJV)

What is a steadfast heart? It is the person who endures patiently, who is reliable, faithful and true to the end, who exhibits perseverance.

The old woman lay in her bed in the nursing home that had become her final residence while suffering with cancer. She missed her home which had been built for her and her husband as a gift from their children. Years of hardship and oftentimes poverty stricken days were no longer a permanent influence in her life. Those challenges were always met with a heart of gratitude and a voice crying out to The Lord her provider.

In her final weeks, days, and hours this side of Heaven her heart did not change, and her voice though weak from the illness dwelling deep in her bones had no effect on her steadfastness and trust in The Lord. Always one to be concerned with others over her own needs, she listened to the cries and moaning from other residents in nearby rooms. As a nurse would enter the woman’s room to care for her needs her quiet admonition was “I’m all right, take care of the others first.” And she would ask, “Do they know Jesus? I’m praying for them.”

That woman was my Grandmother Jewell. She died when I was 14 years old. I didn’t spend a lot of alone time with grandma because when we visited on Sunday afternoons there were at least half a dozen other grandchildren present biding for her love and attention which we did receive, yet there weren’t a lot of opportunities to crawl up on her lap or cuddle next to her in a chair. Nonetheless, we knew of her deep faith by her example and by the legacy of stories shared by her children.

To have a steadfastness in The Lord that is described as enduring with patience, is reliable and true to the end is an ample description of my grandma. It is an old woman, ridden with cancer, praying while in the confines of a bed making use of the precious time granted to her by a loving Father.

I wonder. How many souls from that nursing home are in Heaven because of my grandmother? The answer lies within the pages of the Lamb’s Book of Life.

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Father, may I learn to have a heart that is steadfast and grow in faith that trusts You completely in all matters. Teach me not to fear. Teach me to fully rely on You when hard times fall upon me and evil lurks in my midst. Remind me that You are always with me. Amen