Faithful Is He
This true story has needed to be told for over 15 years
now. Though I had only a small part, I have decided to try
to put into writing a testimony that will, I hope, build up
someone’s faith for another such miracle.
You may choose to believe or not. I just simply ask you to
digest this story and use whatever part you can to build up
your own personal faith in Christ’s blood.
We are told His stripes are for our healing. It happens all
the time. But, this one instance is very special to me.
_________________________
As it happened, I had a great heartache that was threatening
to take over my life. I sang in a gospel trio and the other
two girls were like sisters to me. In all our years, we
never had a disagreement or an argument. As they watched me
pinning away, they had great empathy for my heartache and
prayed with me on numerous occasions.
One of the women in the church had a father-in-law who had
been stricken with lymphoma. Our prayer line had been
activated several times to pray for him the first time he
had chemotherapy. The second bout with it, we were called
even several times a day. This man was a full time preacher
in a little country church.
One particular Wednesday night, I took my heartache, again,
to the altar for prayer.
That night, our lead singer, Reta, was also helping with
those who came for prayer. She began to pray with me and,
soon, our tears were mingled together. Shortly afterward, I
felt her body swoon and she collapsed on the floor ~ still
weeping.
I stayed there awhile, then slipped back to my place in the
pew. But, she kept weeping and just lay there praying. This
continued throughout the service. Once, she made it to the
altar, but went back to the floor. Toward the end of the
service, she got to the pew but lay over; still weeping,
quietly.
Later, Reta told me that, during this time, she saw hands.
They were oily, and she had recognized them as her own. When
the service ended, her face was swollen from tears and
weeping, and she felt compelled to pray for 'someone'. The
father-in-law was mentioned. But, he was in a hospital 120
miles away.
Another suggested we call the father-in-law's home and see
if he were home yet. Getting no answer, it was decided that
our pastors and Reta would go on to the hospital, even
though it was already late.
As they started out the door, someone suggested, "Try one
more time." So, they rang the number, this time getting an
answer. The father-in-law had just arrived home. Some of the
congregation had met him and helped to carry Rev. Lloyd
Mattocks in, and set him in his recliner. Our pastors and
Rita asked if they might come, right then, and pray for him,
and he agreed.
It was an hour's drive to his home and, when they arrived,
they were welcomed and offered coffee ~ which they declined
saying, "We came to pray."
Our pastor had brought the bottle of oil and, as we usually
did, he started to touch the tip of Reta’s finger to the
bottle. She said, "No, preacher. Just pour it over my
hands." So, he did. They began to pray, all together; some
in the heavenly language.
Rev. Mattocks had a tumor in his stomach, large enough that
he could feel. This man was 6' 5" and, in his prime, weighed
about 220. This night, he weighed 127 pounds; a walking
skeleton. Someone in a concentration camp might have looked
better.
Reta laid her hands on his stomach and they prayed on.
Somewhere during the prayer, they both looked up. "It’s
gone!" he said and they began to praise the Great Healer.
Joy overflowed them all!
Rev. Mattocks never went to sleep that night. Instead, he
prepared sermons all night. Toward morning, he was still
feeling good and noticed the grass around the church needs
mowing. So, he got out there and mowed the grass.
Next, he decided to do the bar, ditch, and edge around the
trees. Then, he decided to mow the neighbor's grass, to wake
them up and surprise them.
Today, Rev. Mattocks stands tall and sturdy, with his full
weight back. Doctors have searched, a number of times, for
any sign of the cancer (which almost took his life 3
different times). But, no sign of it has ever been found.
The first time the lymphoma was found, he went through
chemotherapy and his reaction to it was very adverse. Rev.
Mattocks almost lost his life.
The second time it came back, the chemo itself almost killed
him.
The third time, the doctors said they had literally burned
up his blood vessels and they would certainly cause his
death if they tried again. They felt it more humane to just
send Rev. Mattocks home to make funeral arrangements. They
gave him 10 days to possibly, but not probably, 60 days to
live; on that Wednesday morning. But, the evening gave him a
whole new life.
_________________________
Something serves as a catalyst for a raindrop. Perhaps it’s
that way for a miracle, too. The yielding of Reta's spirit
may have triggered it; her sweet compassion for my ache.
I will ask when I get to Heaven. Though, when God does a
miracle, He does it well. I do hope you can find the faith
to believe it. If so, your own miracle may not be far
behind.
© 2003 by Joan Clifton Costner