A Powerful Legacy

This year’s celebration of Father’s Day will be different than any other for my family. This will be the first year in which my dad will not be with us. Of course, my family is not alone in this experience. Many others have lost their fathers at some point in the years prior. While there is a deep sadness resulting from his passing, we are so thankful for the good years that God allowed us to share in knowing him and in experiencing the unequaled gift of a godly father. As we gathered for his funeral setting such a few short weeks ago, I was tasked with one of the greatest privileges of ministry. As a pastor, I am often asked to share words at the graveside of various people whom God has graced me with knowing through the ministry of the local church. It is always an honor; yet it is never a charge for which I deem myself to be adequate. How can the life of one so precious to loved ones, one made in the very image of God, possibly be appropriately honored in just a few short words? This was the impossible challenge pressed upon me and my brother as we eulogized my father.

While seemingly insufficient for all that we knew about the man, the final public declaration of my father’s life is important. Every life has value because each one carries the mark of our Creator. Yet, his life purposefully pointed to the glory of God because of his decision to follow Jesus Christ. At a very young age, he responded to the gospel’s call upon him. This decision has left a lasting impression upon all who knew him, especially his sons. On a day in which we celebrate fatherhood, and in a culture desperately looking to examples of those who would be commendable for such a task, the last public words regarding my father are most fitting. They can be summarized by comparing my dad’s life with a verse of Scripture which became so precious to him, especially in his last years.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

The earliest and most consistent memories of my father include his personal commitment to reading the Bible on a daily basis. His Bible and devotional books were always well-worn as he would spend the first part of each day in this practice of seeking the Lord. Obviously, this had a tremendous impact upon our family in many ways. Our participation in the local church was unwavering, as was his charge in leading us to be a family of character in which we sought to honor Christ. However, following his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, my father’s attention to God’s Word became even more concentrated. He was concerned about the effect that the disease could potentially have upon his family, his relationships, and especially his witness. As the disease progressed, he faced grave fears. So, this particular verse took on a renewed significance. He clung to the promise that God is not the author of fear, and in fact, indwells Christ-followers with His very presence through the Holy Spirit. Even as his body and mind deteriorated, he grew in confidence.

For those who knew my father, power is a term which suited him well. Throughout his lifetime, even up to the very end, he was the most physically fit person I knew. He was disciplined in his regular fitness regime. Even in a weakened state, his hands were strong. Yet, his physical power was matched only by something even greater—his integrity. Though a sinner like us all, Christ had changed him as a young boy. To illustrate, I was reminded of a family trip for vacation. The family car had no air conditioning, and my dad set to make it so that we would not go without this luxury again. Within a few weeks, we had a brand new Buick. Then, after just a few more weeks, that Buick was gone. My brother asked Dad why we did not keep it. He replied, “We could not make the car payments and continue to give to the Lord as He requires. So, we had to get rid of the car.” As one writer stated it well, “The only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners and refuses to be buried is the character of the man.” This was true for Dad, as it is for us all.

Though it will probably never make for a Hollywood blockbuster of a romance movie, my parents’ love for each other followed the foundational biblical pattern for which God created and intended—one man, one woman, for life. In fact, outside of his personal walk with the Lord, my father’s greatest gift to my brother and I was his love for my mom. (Dad’s faith in Christ and love for Mom were not exclusive from each other, but intricately connected.) Even as my father’s health began to diminish, his love for my mom increased. And so, God’s endless covenant of love toward His people was beautifully and accurately displayed in Dad’s love for Mom in the covenant of marriage.

Undoubtedly, the promise of 2 Timothy 1:7 resonated so powerfully with Dad because of the clause “a sound mind.” As our family came to know so well, Parkinson’s is a cruel disease. As it took its toll on my father’s ability to function independently, the sharpness of his mind and the clarity of his thinking became very clouded. Yet, the better translation for this Greek term is “self-control.” It has to do with character and conduct and is the general virtue or knowledge of what to do and what to avoid. As Dad’s inability to control his own health declined, God’s control of his life took hold. He grew in Christ, and the radiance of God’s glory formed in his character in ever-increasing measure.

Trials and tribulations of all sorts serve to expose and also effect every one of us. We become exposed as the pressures of life remove any façade for genuine faith. Difficulties show us and those around us the true measure of our character. These same pressures also build our character, if grounded with a faith in Christ. Pressures strengthen our resolve to lean in to Christ, allowing His strength to perfect us. The last several years of my dad’s life cannot contain his whole life’s story. Yet, it must not be ignored. For the manner in which a man dies powerfully speaks of the manner in which he lived…and the manner in which he still lives! For the great legacy from my father on this Father’s Day is that we will one day fellowship together again, as we bask in the lavish grace of our Heavenly Father! Surely this is the high calling for every father. That he should point his children to the Heavenly Father, found only in Jesus Christ.

Jason