After driving all day, I arrived back in my hometown of Adelaide with my family to commence a holiday break. However, on arrival we were greeted with the news that Sue’s seriously ill 39-year-old brother, Wayne, was deteriorating in hospital and did not have long to live.

Instead of resting up, I felt a prompting that Sue and I should immediately go to the hospital to be with Wayne. When we arrived, we were told that Wayne was struggling to breathe and unable to speak. I went into his room and held his hand and spoke, “Wayne, it is Rod here, if you can hear my voice, could you please squeeze my hand.” Wayne heard me and squeezed my hand rather tightly and I felt that I could continue a conversation with him by way of him holding my hand. Wayne, in his earlier years had trusted Jesus as his Saviour, but in recent times, had lost his way. With his eyes closed and breathing heavily, I said to Wayne that if he could hear my voice and wanted to answer “Yes”, then squeeze my hand.

I then spoke to Wayne about his Saviour who loved him and died for him and asked if he would like to recommit his life to Jesus. He squeezed my hand tightly and then I prayed for him and asked the Holy Spirit to fill him afresh. I told him of a Saviour who had never let go of his hand.

Suddenly, he was at peace and then Sue joined me, and we both held his hands and blessed him and then quietly left him. We drove back to Sue’s parent’s home and as we arrived Sue’s father received a phone call from the hospital to tell us that Wayne had died. He had gone to be with his Saviour who had never let go of his hand.

A month before Wayne died, Sue felt prompted to write to her big brother, Wayne, and send him the words of a Don Francisco song called “I’ll Never Let Go of Your Hand.” Sue’s note was found in Wayne’s wallet after his death. The words of the song included…..
“The life that I have given you
No one can take away
I’ve sealed it with My Spirit, blood and word.
The everlasting Father has made His covenant with you
And He’s stronger than the world you’ve seen and heard.
So don’t you fear to show them all the love I have for you
I’ll be with you everywhere in everything you do
And even if you do it wrong, and miss the joy I planned.
I’ll never, never let go of your hand.”

Isaiah wrote (41:10,13) “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I am the Lord your God who has taken hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’”

I will never forget that night in the hospital ward when Wayne’s life was rapidly failing and I held his right hand and reminded him of a Saviour who would never let go of his hand.