I would like to reprint a letter I wrote in June of 2013. It reminds us to “…not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9) I hope it will encourage us during these uncertain times.
Many of you know that my father passed away last week. Thank you for your prayers. I was able to do the service for my father. In fact, my brother, his daughters and my daughters all participated. It was a God-honoring service that remembered my father.
For this letter I am including a few of the remarks that I made at the funeral. Obviously that is on my heart. It will give more insight into me and my family.
Just hours before he died my mom was telling him “I love you” and then she made the remark, “You have been a faithful husband and father.” That struck me in the hospital.
Of all the attributes of God, one that resonates with me very strongly is His faithfulness. II Timothy 2:13 says that if we are faithless, He remains faithful. The word “faithful” means true to one’s word or promises or vows … reliable, trusted. Here are some things that I feel my dad was faithful to during his life:
- He was faithful to his wife of nearly 64 years.
- He was faithful in teaching my brother and me a strong work ethic.
- He was faithful to his family. Dad didn’t often say “I love you” and sometimes didn’t know how to show it, but he certainly loved our family.
- He was faithful in reading and praying daily. As I was going through his Bible I saw his daily Bible reading and I saw that he was actually ahead of schedule. I saw a prayer list of things he was praying for … I saw a flyer of prayer requests for The Jesus Film dating back to 2011.
- He was faithful in sharing his faith. He felt obligated to say something, give a tract, or in some way let people know he was a Christian wherever he went. If he attended his own funeral, he might be handing out tracts to everyone who came in the door. This is who my father was.
One of my mantras is that we would “finish well” … “faithful to the finish.” Presently my favorite verse is I Corinthians 15:58, Therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast, immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. That’s my admonition for you and for me … that we would be faithful even as God is faithful to us.
As we deal with our own mortality, let’s strive to live a life pleasing to the Lord. We all desire to hear those words by our Savior, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”