Dad III
I remember how thrilled my dad was when he heard that I would be in training to become a draftsman at Ft. Belvoir, VA. He saw a future for me that would mean a well-paying job without the toil of manual labor. What he didn’t know was, at about that same time, God was at the beginning stages of a higher calling for me. A life that would not be sustained by a salary in the engineering field but would be upheld by the goodness of God with eternal rewards.
It was when I returned home and it became apparent that I would go a different direction with my life, that Dad talked to me. He said: “Bill, you have a family to think of. There are four mouths to feed. You could make a decent living if you would pursue a career in drafting. Preachers make hardly anything. To be responsible, you should think of your family. It’s OK to go to church but just don’t take it too seriously.”
I remember our little girls used to look into their grandfather’s eyes and say to him. “Grandpa, wouldn’t you like to know Jesus?” Because they were his grandkids, he couldn’t debate with them but he would find ways to quickly change the subject of the conversation. Over the years many prayers went up before the Lord for my dad.
It was early in the fall of 1970 when my dad noticed there was difficulty in swallowing his food. After a trip to the doctor and a thorough examination, he was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. It was recommended that he go to a care center just off W. Colfax in Denver. It was for people with terminal stages of cancer.
We had been a pastor of a wonderful church in Castle Rock, CO and just four years before, we had pioneered a new church in Burlington, CO. My mom and my dad had visited us at our home in both places and had attended church with us. Over the years, my dad’s stance on my choice of a vocation had softened, though he was not yet a believer. He took note of the love of God in our family. Our kids loved their grandparents and expressed it. He observed the wonderful people who had become a part of the church and I am sure their lives made an impression on him.
When dad was admitted to the care center, I would make weekly trips to visit him. We would have great times of visiting and I would talk about the things of God and would pray with him. One time when I went to his room I found that he was not there. I asked the nurse in charge where he was. She said it was quite possible he had taken a walk to a nearby mini shopping center. As I started out the door to look for him, I noticed a couple of ladies leaving the building and they were carrying Bibles. As I left the building moments later, I noticed them getting into a car. As I passed by, I spoke to them and, referring to their Bibles, noted that they had some good reading material. It opened a conversation with them and while we were talking, Dad walked up. As he liked to joke with people, he observed: “I might have known you would be talking to some ladies.” We all laughed and I introduced my dad to the ladies. We visited at the curbside for a few moments. Then one of the ladies said to Dad touching him on the arm. “Mr. Behrman, have you given your heart to Jesus?” Trying to lighten the conversation, my dad replied, “Don’t you think I am just as good as anybody else?” Her response was; “Mr. Behrman, I think you are the greatest. But it is not what I think that counts, It is what God says that is important.” She briefly continued to share God’s love with Dad and I am sure it made an impression on him.
Not long after, on one of my trips to see him, we were in his room. He was sitting on the hospital bed. Our conversation had turned more serious and I asked him. “Dad, have you thought about giving your heart to the Lord?” His immediate response was, “Yes, I have.” I once again shared the plan of salvation with him and told him that if he would pray, and ask Jesus into his heart, the Lord would hear and come to live in him and he would be saved. At once, he began to pray. He didn’t even close his eyes. His prayer was sincere, it expressed a turning from his past and putting his faith in Jesus as Savior. There, with legs dangling over the bedside, he passed from death unto life. At 82 years of age, with a lifetime of amazing history in this world behind him he, with one step of faith, was born again and entered into life eternal. The angels in heaven rejoiced, a sinner had been cleansed and joined the company of the redeemed. And, I rejoiced!!! Many prayers had been answered and I would see my dad in glory.