Thursday, June 02, 2011
On Tuesday, May 24, I shared some brief comments at my sisters memorial service. My sister Janet was an incredible athlete. She had numerous trophies and awards that she had received for being top notch in sports. Whatever sport she participated in she excelled. She was so good in fast pitch softball that she was drafted to a professional team when she was a sophomore in high school. In bowling she won the California Jr. Bowling Championship. In tennis, she was CCS Champion. Her senior year in high school she was awarded Female Athlete of the year at Campbell High School. The Oklahoma City newspaper actually wrote an article about some of my sisters accomplishments in softball. Click here to read the article.
She also excelled in academics. She taught college and high school students most of her career. We read card after card from Jan's students who expressed her impact on their lives. Many of them attended the memorial.
Jan spearheaded a program in her high school to get bibles placed in all the English classes. She not only got the program approved, she got the bibles donated. A great accomplishment.
While all of these accolades and accomplishments are commendable; they are not comforting at the point of death.
My sister greatest achievement in life was something that she didn't earn. It was something that was accomplished for her. It was the day she received Jesus Christ as her Savior and confessed Him as her Lord. Trophies and awards do not comfort us when our loved ones die. Rather, knowing that they are in the presence of God because of Christ is what brings us comfort at the time of death.
Life's greatest achievement is living for Christ. That was my sister's testimony and that is mine as well. I hope it is yours too. And someday I will see her again as we praise the One who made it all possible - Jesus Christ.
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13).
She also excelled in academics. She taught college and high school students most of her career. We read card after card from Jan's students who expressed her impact on their lives. Many of them attended the memorial.
Jan spearheaded a program in her high school to get bibles placed in all the English classes. She not only got the program approved, she got the bibles donated. A great accomplishment.
While all of these accolades and accomplishments are commendable; they are not comforting at the point of death.
My sister greatest achievement in life was something that she didn't earn. It was something that was accomplished for her. It was the day she received Jesus Christ as her Savior and confessed Him as her Lord. Trophies and awards do not comfort us when our loved ones die. Rather, knowing that they are in the presence of God because of Christ is what brings us comfort at the time of death.
Life's greatest achievement is living for Christ. That was my sister's testimony and that is mine as well. I hope it is yours too. And someday I will see her again as we praise the One who made it all possible - Jesus Christ.
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13).
To God be the glory!
Pastor Tim
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