Dear Church,
I was given a gift this past week that I’d like to share with you. I’d like for you to come with me to the Holland Home. We’ll need to turn the clock to Friday, December 10. You can take the elevator to the second floor and make your way down the long hallway to room 250. This was Marie Hamby’s room, if you didn’t know it. And in a lot ways, how would you know it’s her room since the vast majority of her time at the Holland Home was spent anywhere but in her room. You would see her in the coffee shop or the exercise room. You would see her in the dining room or in the chapel. And, you would see her playing Nintendo Wii bowling in the commons; but rarely would you see her in her room. But on Friday, December 10, we’ll meet Marie in her room. I would encourage you to have a seat in the recliner in her room, but that spot is being taken by Marie’s son, Chuck.
It’s late at night and Marie is struggling. She is struggling to see, struggling to sleep and struggling to stay here or go be with the Lord. From what I’ve been told, in the middle of the night, Marie calls out to her son Chuck. “Charles, are you there?” Chuck, like the loving son that he is, said, “Yes Mom, I’m here.” Marie asked Chuck to come close. His Mom inching her way to glory had something to say. Chuck, thinking these may be the last words his Mother says, quickly tries to find a pen and paper to jot down whatever these precious words might be. As the Christmas tree is gleaming into the wee hours of the morning, Marie says to Chuck, “I have something to say.” “Okay, Mom,” said Chuck. “I have something to tell my church, will you tell my church?” Hanging on every word Chuck responds, “Yes Mom, I’ll tell church.” “Tell them I love the Lord, He is my Savior and He has been so good to me. Tell them that I pray for the salvation of others. Tell them that I pray for the babies of the world. I pray for Pastor Matt’s baby and our choir director’s baby and for the grandkids. Tell them that I am ready to be with the Lord.”
These were some of the last words Marie Hamby spoke before being taken away to Ingalls Hospital where she would eventually be taken by the hand to be with the Lord just a few short days later. What a gift. What a testimony of faith. What an example to follow. Sarah says I’m at my best doing a funeral. I tell her that doing funerals for saints like Marie preach themselves. Leading her family through the valley of the shadow of death this past week wasn’t always the easiest. The floodgates of emotions around the Christmas season only amplify the emotions of losing a beloved Mom. And still, in the midst of loss, Marie gave not only her three kids, but all of us, one very special gift to open a few days before Christmas. It’s a gift where we can celebrate the best parts of the Christian faith; a gift that reminds us all that ours is truly Emmanuel, God with us. Which has me thinking about if I were lying on that bed in room 250 of the Holland Home inching my way to glory; if I only had what I thought to be a few more sentences to speak, what would I say? Have you ever thought about that question? What would be the most important thing you’d want to say in those precious and holy moments? I seriously doubt we’d acknowledge the vacations taken, or the homes bought or the cars driven. My guess is that if we only had a few sentences left, we’d think about family, and church and the Lord.
As the mother Mary carried the weight of heaven and hell in her womb, the salvation of humanity was growing in her. Like Marie who prayed for the salvation of newborn babies and for the salvation of those that don’t yet know the Lord, the weight of heaven and hell was on her mind. This Advent season, don’t be caught up with presents, candle light services and hot chocolate. Eternity hung in the balance between cries from an infant and a sigh of relief from His mother. This is real and Marie knew it. Salvation is here, my friends. And His name is Jesus.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Matt
