Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the memorial service for my dear friend, Sandy Pruitt – a great Christian lady.
As I listened to the comments of those presiding and attendees who recounted memories, several things occurred to me about her life and the past, present and future for the Christian and the fact that God is the God of all comfort who comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).
Regarding the past, Sandy loved the Lord and his body, the church (Matthew 16:13-19; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13). She really loved all people, and she really loved to talk. She occasionally called to bring me up to speed on her life (like many of us, she had lots of medical issues) and her family members’ lives and the lives of all our common friends. While those conversations often seemed never ending, they’d always end at the right time, and I’d always wind up feeling encouraged and blessed. Sandy’s knack for encouragement, along with loving the Lord and his church, is among many other recognizable Christian attributes she had (Romans 12:4-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14; Hebrews 3:12-14; 10:23-25; John 13:34-35).
The presiders read the usual comforting passages regarding the dead in Christ as well as those still alive in Christ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:19-23; John14:1-3. (There’s no hope outside of Christ, according to Ephesians 2:12.) As I heard those passages and the other friends’ and family members’ comments, I realized that although Sandy isn’t physically present, she’s still among the living in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Matthew 22:31-32; John 11:25-26; Romans 6:3-5).
So now, because she faced so many trials while in this life and survived, she left a living legacy that continues to comfort and encourage those of us who are still awaiting Jesus’ return. She’s in the great cloud of witnesses testifying that they’re joyfully experiencing eternal life as they also await being awarded the inheritance that’s been promised to those who remain faithful while on Earth (Hebrews 11:1-12:4; Galatians 3:26-29; 4:6-7).
For this reason, while we don’t have to be happy about the pain, no matter what we face in this life, we can have joy in times of trouble because they are achieving for us a glory that far outweighs them all (Romans 8:12-18; James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Revelation 21:1-4).
I’m looking forward to Jesus’ return, whenever he comes for me. In the meantime, I know that, try as I may to avoid sinning (and I must try), I’ll still not be perfect on my own. So I focus on Jesus, the author and perfector of my faith, and I’m thankful for God’s forgiveness, which keeps me blameless in his sight (Acts 2:38-39; 1 John 1:5-9). I have this hope because I know God will rescue me from this body of sin and from this body of pain, just like he did for Sandy (Romans 7:21-25; 2 Peter 2:4-10; 2 Timothy 1:7-12).
Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan. Contact him at :