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DO YOU BELIEVE IN EASTER?
Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was
the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle
doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One
morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith
Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black
Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith
Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is
Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning
of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that
office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith
when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is
Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"
Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you
believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts,
going to church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real
meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet. I
believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room."
After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took
a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you
reading your Bible? Are you praying?" Dr. Phillips said gently,
"Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he
said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith,
you're not going to live very long."
Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you
think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious
Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to
celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my
ticket!"
Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns
is!"
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed
through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later
that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving
her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near Home, so would you
make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know
about Easter."
Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with
Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients
were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is
everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse. Phyllis made it plain that she
wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She
had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She
was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard,
cold, and did everything by the book.
One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the
flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in,
Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I
love you, and I have been praying for you." Phyllis Cross said, "Well,
you can quit praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested." Edith
said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go Home until
you come into the family." Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never
die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.
Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God
loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you." One day Phyllis
Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw
iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come,
because God told me that today is your special day."
Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, 'Do
you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me." Edith said,
"Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked,
and now that you have asked..."
Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the
death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do
you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He
wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to
believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right
there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the
first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried
out on the wings of angels.
Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day
it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday." Edith
said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!"
Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her
duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because
she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a
Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big
black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet
smile on her face.
When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead.
Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go
to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that
where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4,
" And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former
things have passed away."
Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward
heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter,
Edith - Happy Easter!"
Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table
where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross.
Do you believe in Easter?"
