Today I had the privilege of attending the funeral of a very dear member of my church. Ed (Eddie) McGlamery Sr.was 87 years old and passed away this past week from bladder cancer. Eddie is without a doubt the most precious older man I've ever met. It was almost this time last year that Eddie contributed to my last trip to Nicaragua. I was so touched to hear last night that he has my picture that I sent with my support letter on his fridge.
During the service today I was thinking to myself "Lord, I pray that my funeral will look like this when I leave this world." The entire service focused on the God in Eddie not Eddie. It was the visibility of his love for the Lord and how that was so evident through the way he lived his life. Have you ever been around someone and that as they start praying you are immediately in the presence of God...that when they start praying it's as if they never stopped talking to the Lord? Eddie was that person. The more I say there and heard everything that everyone was saying the more I realized "Lord, there's a lot more of me that people see rather that you." The verse John 3:30 came to my mind:
"He must become greater; I must become less."
I want it to be said of me that "It was Lauren's faith that I remember the most about her." I don't want people to look at the things that I've accomplished in my life and think "oh what a nice person" I want to live a life of strong faith. One like Abraham. In Romans 4 it talks a lot about Abraham's faith. The descriptions given are so powerful such as...."For the Scriptures tell us.'Abraham believed God, and God counted him righteous because of his faith." (vs.3) It then goes on to say in vs.18 that
"Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping-believing that he would become the Father on many nations. For God had said to him..."
Abraham believed in God when there was seemingly no reason to hope. How often do I do that? That's what I want! He believed because of what God has spoken to him long ago. We have the privilege of having a copy of God's Word at our fingertips and that's where we can go to get this kind of faith. The more of God's Word in my ears, mind and heart....that's where faith comes from. Not from a strong will or determination to do the "right thing." That's where we depend on the Holy Spirit's enabling! Man, God really did cover all his bases didn't he? : )
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" Romans 10:17
Much like Eddie, Abraham left this world to be with Jesus at an old age. But, much like Abraham it can be said of Eddie as it did of Abraham in Romans 4:19-21
" 19And Eddie's faith did not weaken, even though, at about "87" yrs. of age, he figured his body was as good as dead-and so was Sarah's womb.20 Eddie never waivered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises."
What a powerful lesson to begin to learn! It really puts a different perspective on how to pray for my trip this summer. I pray that people will be more impressed with the God-in-me than anything else I do. For he truly must become greater, and I must become less.
Learning how to shrink,
Lauren
