With the advancement of his years, his eyesight is failing but his vision remains clear; his legs may be weak, but I've no doubt his spirit must dance with abandon with his Saviour.
We lost touch with him not long ago. His Sunday School class and his deacon had attempted contact, but to no avail. We'd known that, at the age of 85, he'd taken a bride. What a smile that brought to us! The heart that belongs to our Lord never ages, does it? Perhaps he was going to church with his new bride and that's why we hadn't seen him for a while.
We received an email this past week from his family updating us on our brother. Pancreatic cancer. Hospice. Only weeks left on this earth. Oh, the heartache!
The outpouring of love in the form of visits and calls to him underscores how very much he touched lives in the short time we've known him. In addition to the individuals who took time to go see him, his entire Sunday School class took the church bus all the way downtown to pay him a visit en masse.
Now tonight, I hear that the end of his earthly stay may be even shorter that originally estimated. I'm grieving (selfishly) that I didn't get to experience first hand the joy I've heard so much about from those know him. I'm sad that so many people will feel a deep loss when he "moves on". Yet, I'm happy that the extreme pain and suffering will be over soon for him, that he will soon see Jesus and be personally escorted to the throne room to stand in the presence of God.
I can't help but wonder...have I made anywhere near this kind of difference in peoples' lives? When people speak of me, are their thoughts and words tinged with just an inkling of the Love and Grace I've received? I'm afraid the answer is no. But his Saviour is my Saviour. His joy and mine spring from the same fount. The Holy Spirit give us both the same capabilities
Does Jesus' love speak as clearly through me as it does through him?
By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:35 (NKJV)
