Yesterday I wrote concerning my melanoma surgery scheduled for 3 pm today. I received a huge outpouring of encouragement and prayers and I wish to thank each of you who responded from the depths of my heart. I have read them; however, there were so many that I simply could not respond to each of them individually. Please know though that I am appreciative of your taking time to do such a thing; it was heart-warming.
As I mentioned in that Words for the Day, I have faced death numerous times. I remember a car crash one time where the car rolled over two and one half times. It is amazing to me that even though this happened decades ago I still vividly remember every detail of that event. It was astonishing to me when time just seemed to slow down and so many things ran through my mind during the crash which took seconds but seemed like an hour. I remember it was very loud and each time the car flipped over and made that sickening crashing sound again I was fully expecting to die and said to myself: “Well this is it!”.
I remember being shot at and hearing the bullets zinging by my head. It is a distinctive sound and one that I shall never forget. Oh yes and then there were two occasions where I was badly outnumbered and beaten badly with clubs resulting in concussions, broken ribs, and collarbone. And of course who could forget overdosing twice on drugs; two head on collisions, my motorcycle wreck, and the three cars that rolled multiple times.
In later years I recall being knocked off my feet and flying 15 feet through the air as one horse bowled me over and then three galloping horses trampled me with one stepping directly on my chest. When I regained consciousness I heard my wife, who had been standing there witnessing the entire thing, screaming, “Are you all right? – Are You all right? Please answer me!” I finally responded, “I don’t know?” And I didn’t. I had a concussion and was in shock and really sick.
I remember multiple times getting caught in raging storms far offshore when I fully expected not to live through it. I remember a five-foot long Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake biting me and burying his fangs in my knee high boots. I remember life threatening medical conditions and surviving surgeries and chemo.
The list is too long to list here and surreal actually. So this morning I wonder what is the significance in all of it? Why was I spared?
Hmmm . . . God is the only One with that answer, because I don’t have a clue.
I do know one thing for sure, and that is when I experienced most of my near death experiences, I was not a Christian and in fact far from it. I could have easily died and should have in several instances. If I had perished, I would be in hell at this very moment and would have remained there for eternity. That thought weighs heavily on my being, and I am filled with compassion for those in a similar situation today.
Now I am assured a place in God’s heaven and I will be bathed in the glory of the Lord forever. One of my friends who wrote to encourage me yesterday wrote this: “I especially love reading and visualizing the emerald rainbow around the throne of God in Revelation 4:3. Visualizing that beautiful rainbow always helps my depression. That passage reads in part: ‘At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it. The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow gleaming like an emerald encircled the throne.’”
You know one day I’m going to see that throne and rainbow (which is a sign of God’s covenant of promise which God has made with Christ, as the Head of the church, and with all his people in Him, AND NOT SOME HOMOSEXUAL ICON). I can assure you that I will be on my knees, (or face down prostrate) before almighty God thanking him for his loving grace and for saving a wretch like me who sinned against Him in so many vile ways.
I have no way of knowing how this surgery will turn out today, but I do know that all will be well with Bob Williamson for eternity. This I know because the Bible tells me so.
I have been bathed in the blood of Christ; I have made Him the LORD of my life; I have confessed my sins and He has forgiven them and cleansed me of them; I have boldly declared his name to all who would listen, (and some who didn’t want to listen 🙂 ).
That my friends is why I do not fear death; no, not even in the least. My only desire and request is to be allowed more time to tell others about God’s loving grace; however, if the Master says that my work is done and tonight I will require your soul, hey, I’m ready to rock and roll.
If you have not trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then there is no better day to do so than today! Pray to Him right now and claim your free gift. No one will ever be able to take it away from you and you too will one day see that gorgeous rainbow encircling the throne of Jesus Christ. And best of all you will be assured of His salvation forever!
Romans 8:38
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord . . .
August 11 2016 – Click here to listen