I read in the paper today that one of my senior friends passed away. She was 92. She was more than a friend; she had the gift of encouragement. Her name was Helen Steiner and she was a saint. I probably knew her for over 30 years. We were members of the same church at one time. She was one of the people who gave me a lot of encouragement to live a life for Christ. She was a prayer warrior, had a wonderful heart for serving people, and even in her 90’s found ways to volunteer.
Shortly after Christmas 07 she gave me a call and invited me over to visit her. I had not run into her probably for about 3 or 4 years. She said she had some things she’d like to give me. It certainly sounded intriguing and so within a few days I found myself sitting in her living room. I spent probably 2 1/2 hours that day visiting with her and hearing a lot of things I had never known before about her travels and adventures in her younger years.
Also that afternoon, Helen gave me three big huge study Bibles and a black scarf she had knitted. “Had to be black,” she said, “because a preacher needs one that color for when he has to do a funeral on a cold winter day.” She also knew I was admiring the huge framed print of a blacksmith shoeing a horse hanging on her wall. She said, “I’ll see that you get that some day.” It will be nice if I do get the print but, ya know, I already feel like I've been blessed just having her think of me that way. Whether I get that picture now is somewhat immaterial because knowing that she thought that much of me as a friend is priceless.
I wept on the way home as I am now writing this because I was fully aware that this grand lady knew her days were numbered and she had chosen me as someone to remember and honor while she was still living. People like her are rare but I hope you all have people like that in your lives and I also hope we all can become like them somehow. She has become part of the “great cloud.”
For some of you who might not be students of scripture, I need to explain that to you. In the New Testament, Hebrews chapter 11 talks about people who had lived before that time who had lived with great faith in God
The author of Hebrews says this in the beginning of Chapter 12
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
My friend Helen has joined the cloud of witnesses who have inspired me to follow Jesus. she lived a life of faith serving and loving her Savior Jesus Christ. Her race is done but ours continues. In honor of those like her who have been found faithful and gone on ahead of us into a life eternal, we press on toward the goal living a life for Jesus!
Are we there yet?
REG
No comments:
Post a Comment