In today’s blog I am switching formats from a virtual worship service with songs and a video message to a blog remembering our glorious and free country and the homegoing of my mother-in-law Liesa. She was a dedicated servant of God and His Son Jesus Christ. If you want to find our live worship service visit our Facebook click here.
I have always been a huge fan of Canada Day because I am Canadian eh? I was born in Canada’s centennial year which puts me into the class of the centennial babies of 1967. This year we celebrated Canada’s one hundred and fifty-third year of Confederation and God’s Dominion of our land from sea to sea to sea. If you would have had the opportunity to ask me how I enjoyed the Day I would have told you it was a celebration like no other I have ever experienced in my life.
Photo by Social Soup Social Media on Pexels.com
As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the midst of COVID-19, I was looking for a day to just unwind and enjoy a restful celebration. I was hoping it would have been a fun-filled social distancing visit with family, at a cottage. The LORD had something else in mind.
During the initial months while COVID-19 was emerging as a threat to the world, my mother-in-law had her own battle with cancer. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her biological clock was ticking away toward her homegoing to be with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Heaven.
It was my prayer that mom would make it beyond the COVID crisis to her 85th birthday in August. Instead God took mom home on Canada’s birthday. How fitting it was for mom to depart on this day. Like many immigrants she came to Canada in 1956 from her war torn country of Germany to start a new life with her newlywed husband. The fifties were very prosperous years for North Americans and countless Germans immigrated to North America with their exceptional trades and hard working ethic. It was a win-win situation.
Liesa and her husband ended up in Hamilton where they began their family of four children (the youngest daughter became my beautiful bride). God faithfully provided for them and revealed His love to them more and more each day. By God’s grace, Liesa began a more intimate, “born again love relationship” with God in the fellowship of believers who would form the German Mission Baptist.
Liesa’s full-surrender-conversion to Christ Jesus meant she put God first in all her plans, hopes and relationships. Her God given talents and gifts were used to bless God, family, church, neighbourhood and country. She became a shining witness for Jesus telling children and anyone who would listen the importance of God’s saving grace through Jesus’ death on the cross. She was a witness by her actions of love and her continuous prayers. Her own children heard the message of Jesus’ salvation and were saved one by one.
Fast forward to today! I thank God for this special woman who also had a huge impact on my life. She encouraged my faith and my call, with her daughter Marion, into pastoral ministry. My wife’s endless zeal to serve Jesus, love mankind and to love Jesus’s Body of believers was modeled by her mother. This love for Jesus and this love for Canada was well celebrated on Canada Day 2020 when mom was taken to her eternal home after she fought the good fight and kept her faith.
The apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV)”
What glory to enter the presence of the Almighty and fully know the truth of His love!! That is worth celebrating forever!! Eh?
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV).” Do you know God’s everlasting love? Why not bow your head in prayer and ask Jesus to be your LORD and Saviour right now. Just say, “Jesus thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Thank you for forgiving me. I want to follow you now with my whole heart and life. Thank you for your endless love. Make me into the person you want me to be so that I can serve You and share your love with this world. AMEN”
Aufwiedersehen mom! I love you and miss you today, but we will see you again soon.
I will be taking the next two weeks off to be with family and prepare for mom’s celebration of life service on Monday, July 27 at Mission Baptist Church in Hamilton. God bless you!
All Scripture used in today’s post is from New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
Encouraging Calvary Bible Church 