Monday, August 24, 2009

Celebrating the Life of a Faithful Servant

I attended the Celebration Service for Jesse this morning. It was a packed church with many family and friends present. I looked around the sanctuary and in the foyer afterwards and saw so many folks I knew who are a part of our church and convention family in some way. I knew that Jesse's service would be a church service. We worshipped the Lord today! Jesse would have only wanted it that way. It was a 2 hour service filled with music, testimonies, laughter, pictures, and the Gospel message. It was a sheer celebration of the life of a faithful servant (that's what was on the front of the printed program) and the Jesus that he served! This is what a funeral should be, especially for those who have accepted Jesus into their life. Yes, we are saddened because Jesse is no longer physically with us and we won't see him on this side of Heaven, a wife is left without her husband of 29 years and daughters are left without a father, and young grandchildren no longer have their Papa around...BUT, we rejoice that Jesse is with His Savior, completely healed of a terrible disease and that for those of us who are believers, it is not "goodbye"...only "see ya later"! The Gospel message was presented and folks had the opportunity to pray to become a Christian. Oh, how I pray those there who didn't know Jesus are now a child of His!
I couldn't help but think that I would want my service to be like Jesse's: celebrating the Savior I serve and what He's done in my life...and hoping that others can experience the Jesus that I have!

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