Granddad's funeral

My maternal Granddad passed away this Tuesday; the funeral was Thursday the 14th, and I had the great privilege of saying a few words at the service.

 

If I could summarize my Granddad in a single word, what would it be?  If I could capture his lifestyle and person in a single word, what would it be?  The word CONSISTENCY kept coming to mind.  I asked my wife, and she said, "GENUINE."  I asked my dad, and he said, "CONSISTENT."  My cousin said, "FAITHFUL."  My friend said, "PASSIONATE."  My brother said, "EXCELLENCE."  Another cousin said, "DISCIPLINED."

 

So, I summarize him with this word - "FAITHFUL."  I perceived him as a FAITHFUL man in three primary aspects:

 

First, he was faithful to his family.  He was faithful to his wife for 54 years until she died of cancer.  His faithful love for her was a beautiful picture of Christ's faithful love towards the Church.  He was also a faithful father to his two sons and daughter.  He faithfully taught them the Truths of God's Word and demonstrated a picture of our faithful Heavenly Father.  He was also a faithful grandparent, always generous.  How blessed I am to follow in his footsteps!  In fact, Proverbs 20:7 says,

The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.

Second, he was faithful in his vocation.  He served faithfully in the military service during World War II as an airplane mechanic.  After the service, he was faithful to his vocation of farming for 60 years.  The LORD blessed him this year with the largest crop ever!  There are so many physical and spiritual analogies of faithfully planting, watering, cultivating, and harvesting.

 

Third, and most significantly, he was a faithful disciple of Christ.  He served as a Bible study teacher and deacon in several congregations.  The Bible that he kept next to his recliner was tattered and worn from years of use!  His prayers were so reverent!  It was clear that Christ Jesus, the Faithful One, was molding my Granddad to look like Him.  Perhaps he is now joining with my Grandma and the angels in singing:

"You are worthy, O Lord our God,

      to receive glory and honor and power.

   For you created all things,

      and they exist because you created what you pleased."

I will try to be a man of faithful integrity like my Granddad was, and I will teach my children to live such lives.