Eugene’s Old, Old Story

“Eugene,” Joan called out. Ever since he had suffered his stroke, she was used to his presence at her side. She rarely left him alone, and he was always trying to find some way to help or remain active, in spite of his paralysis.

The house was too quiet. She made her way through the hall toward their room. Most of the time, Eugene was listening to gospel music on the radio. It was unusual to not hear some music.

“Eugene?” she called again. The bedroom door was closed. She knocked and pushed the door open slowly.

She breathed a sigh of relief. There he was, sitting in his wheelchair. He stirred when he heard Joan enter the room.

“You nearly gave me a fright, you know,” she declared as she patted his shoulder. “Were you taking a nap?”

“No.” Eugene adjusted in the chair uncomfortably. “It has been a long time, Joan…” his voice trailed off.

“I know, sweetie.” Joan leaned in and knelt at his side. “These are difficult days.”

“Since my stroke, I’ve had little inspiration for much of anything,” he said, his speech slightly slurred. “I was in prayer, today, and the Lord gave me a song.”

Joan choked up. “Oh, Eugene…tell me more about it.”

“I’ve grieved so for what I have lost. I’m not able to travel and perform. I’m not much around the house.” He paused. “It’s been very difficult for both of us, I know. You’ve been so good to me…and patient.”

Joan stood up and turned to face him. “Now, Eugene Monroe Bartlett, you know that when we vowed before the Lord to love one another ‘in sickness and in health’ I took that very seriously. It took you months to convince me to marry you.”

“I know, but this is not about that. I fear that I have begun to lose sight of what is most important. The Lord gave me a song to remind me.” He held out a piece of paper, tears in his eyes. Joan took it and saw that familiar tilt of Eugene’s script. “He reminded me of the precious victory I have in Jesus, Joan…and gave me a song to remind His Church of the same.”

Joan began to read aloud:

Victory in Jesus, my Savior Forever

He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood.

He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him.

He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.

The second verse caused her to choke up. She knew there was such hurt and pain over the stroke and its effects. As she read the verse, she thought of how prayers had been prayed over Eugene, how she had cried out to God, how he had cried and even asked, “Why?” She understood the great healing that he was describing there was twofold, both of the life broken by sin and a spirit broken by grief in the midst of the most difficult times through which they were walking.

She smiled at Eugene and said, “I especially love this verse.”

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow’r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,”
And somehow Jesus came and bro’t
To me the victory.

….and the story of victory continues.