God

DALE

/ joseph elon lillie / 6 Comments

I received word at 4:35 A.M. this morning that my mother-in-law, Dale Stevens, went home to be with Jesus.

I cannot say she passed away, because for Dale, while death was a moment of weakness,I know it was also the moment that led to her greatest strength. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body..’ Death has been swallowed up in victory.‘.” 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 54

I have to say, Dale was a wonderful mother-in-law. She cared for her family with an indefatigable passion and a living faith and she accepted me into her family and cared for me as a member of that family. Even after my wife and I divorced Dale never cut me out. She always left a door open for me and kept relationship with me even across the miles. I will always be thankful for her love and care. I am praying now for my ex wife, her sisters and all their husbands, their children and my children and all that extended family as they mourn this foundational loss.

Tina (my ex wife) called from South Carolina, the other day and asked if I would sing over Dale in her hospice bed. I had the opportunity to sing over her twice and each time I sang songs of our hope in Heaven. As I sang, I was reminded that we may be parted for some moments now, but soon we shall all be reunited around the throne of the Living God.

GRAMPA IN THE BONES

/ joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

I recently had an opportunity to attend a forum on minster’s health. I was struck by a statement that was made by the forum director. It resonated deeply with me.

YOU CAN HAVE JESUS IN YOUR HEART, BUT STILL HAVE GRAMPA IN YOUR BONES.

The idea is that even after receiving Jesus we all have strongholds. Paul the apostle wrote, ” For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:3-5

I have been left wondering what strongholds were erected in my life simply because I was born into the family I was born into. But it is not just the negative things I am thinking about either. What advantages did my family of origin plant inside of me?

I am praying through that I might capitalize on the latter while tearing down the former.

HOW ABOUT YOU? WHAT ADVANTAGES COME FROM YOUR FAMILY OF ORIGIN THAT YOU CAN CAPITALIZE ON? WHAT STRONGHOLDS NEED TO BE TORN DOWN?