Have you experienced the loss of a close friend or loved one?  I suspect we all have experienced grief at some point in our lives.  There is also a time of reflecting on the life of our loved one.  My friend, Ron Tobias, passed away late Wednesday night.  I have been reflecting on his well lived life for the last day.  He was a good friend and mentor for me and for so many.  My Facebook feed is littered with testimonials about him.  I have been thinking about the words found in 2Timothy 4.  Let’s look at them together today. 

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

These verses were certainly true in the life of my friend, Ron.  My prayer is that they will be true for all of us as well.  That we would fight the good fight.  I pray that we would all work and even fight to use our gifts to share the love of Christ.  I pray that we might all finish the race.  Whether we are toward the end of our earthly race or just getting started we need to be sure to finish well.  The author of Hebrews reminds us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  The way we do that is to fix our eyes on Jesus. Ron did that well and I pray that we would also.  I also pray that we would keep the faith.  Life has a way of beating and battering our faith at times but we are called to hold fast to our faith despite the storms of life.  I know that for all of us a crown of righteousness awaits us as heirs and children of the king.  While I miss my friend, I smile knowing that Ron has that crown on right now and he sits with his friend, his king Jesus.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave