December 4, 2009

by Tim Philpot (my brother)

December 4, 2010

Danny,
It has been a year since we got the call that you had a massive heart attack and might not make it. You can imagine that such a call in the middle of the night is quite a shock. I knew you looked a lot healthier than you really were so I was not shocked in one sense but I was scared and frantic that it might be over. No more time to fix whatever needed fixing.
Thank the Lord your heart is being fixed. You had great doctors and good friends and family nearby to get you through.
Your blog about a ‘fixed heart’ has been a good thought provoker and I really appreciate it. It seems easy to have all the answers in our 20’s but now, getting close to 60, I’m not sure about a whole lot. Once I get past Jesus Himself, I start getting confused, so I have no problem with any new insights you can give me on life and God and heaven. My mind and heart are more open now than when I was young. I thought I would have more answers at 60 than 20 but not so.
You may recall an old book from 1956 which I just found a couple of weeks ago: “Evangelistic Sermons from Great Evangelists”. This was way before evangelist was a dirty word thanks to TV guys who came after dad. I am sure dad was thrilled to be called one of the ‘great evangelists’ in the book. He had only graduated college in 1950 and had been a Christian less than 9 years, so you can imagine how he felt to be included in the book, among the ‘great evangelists’ like Billy Graham.
Sermon 9 in the book is “A Fixed Heart for a Confused World” by Ford Philpot. I think I remember him preaching this sermon, and I am sure you stole the sermon and made it even better. Dad’s bio in the book ends with “The Rev. Mr. Philpot was married in 1940 to Virginia Robinson. They have two sons, Timothy Neil and Mark Daniel.”
I was 5 and you were 3. This was a time when we were totally secure in the love of God and our parents and probably where we need to return. Secure in the love of God and family.
It is literally taking us an entire lifetime to even begin to understand what it means to have “a fixed heart for a confused world”. It was easier at 5 than 50. Being secure in the love of God has to be where it starts and part of that journey is simply returning to where we were at 5 and 3.
What a great title though for your blog and dad’s sermon. Most versions of Psalm 57 talk about a heart that is “steadfast” or “confident” or “prepared”. Only really the KJV or older versions say a “fixed heart”, but I really like it because of the double meaning. He fixes our heart (Physically and spiritually) but only when we “fix” our broken and sick heart on Him. We need to get ‘fixated’ on Him. Jesus fixed your heart with help of doctors, and you are becoming fixated on Him. I like that.
It is now time for me to tell you a little story. However, frankly, it is too private to put on your blog for the world to see, so I will send you an email later.
In short, thanks to this heart attack and the wake up call that it provided you and all the family, I have graduated to a point that I can say I love you and mean it. I am thankful for your new life and sure the Lord sent you back this way for a purpose that is good.
Have a great 1st anniversary of being ‘saved’ again.
I love you,
Tim

Tim, I love you, too.  You are the best big brother a guy could ever hope for.
Danny