Christian Living

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Larry Lilly’s Letter Monday March 26, 2007

It has amazed me over the years how many times people who are close to each other either through professional association or genuine friendship or both seem to go in different directions. This is not always due to some major decision, or a fight such as Paul and Mark had, but each gets busy in the things the Lord has you doing or going through and you look up one day and it is 15 or 20 years since you really talked. A note here and there, perhaps shaking hands at a funeral. Time really does fly and what would the military give for a plane that flies as silently and swiftly.

I experienced a reunion with an old friend Saturday night past. We had never consciously decided that we wouldn’t have dinner for 17 years, not even lunch, it was just the way our paths led.

A pastor friend, Dr. Bob Parker invited Joyce and me to a nice dinner with he and his wife, Janice and Dr. Tom and Mary Wallace. We had a grand time and I suppose Tumbleweeds will be contacting Bob for a sizable amount of rent on the table where Tom and I caught up with the last decades!

When I thought about the events over this span of years I was near overwhelmed and thanked the Lord that ‘life’ events come to us in spoonfuls rather than all at once. During this time my life has changed dramatically, and Dr. Tom has buried Janeth and Mary buried her husband. Now Tom and Mary say they have been married for 96 years! Mary is a very bright girl and Joyce, the Great Blonde really likes her. For Joyce to really like anyone at first meeting is saying worlds. Joyce didn’t really like me until after the children graduated from college.

On top of everything else, Joyce likes Bob and Janice. I think I had a millennium evening!

Dr. Wallace has been my pastor, and my boss and for many years we were co-labors with Christ and flew all over the United States preaching Christ crucified, risen and coming again. And then, and then it is years since the last cup of coffee.

As we all talked, much like children from large families at a funeral dinner or some other occasion which breaks a long absence, I thought about the secret of Tom’s success over the years. One quality stands out and while we spoke this quality, gifted from God, jumped out at me. The good Dr. is one of those rare people who have the gift of Peter. You feel better when you are around him. Peter had this and it is mentioned in Acts 5:15:

“Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.”

Each of the six of us at the table have ‘been through it’ over the years, in different ways for sure, but our troubles was not the focal point of the conversation. We each found that we talked about the goodness of Christ, each mentioning in some way how the Lord kept us from bitterness and thus remaining fruitful in the things of Jesus.

I hope that I cast a ‘shadow’ of peace and joy over the friends at the table, I know they each touched me, and in someway contributed to my healing on the inside. It’s good to be around people who are true overcomers. All of us in this life have things that we either overcome or succumb to. Overcoming is better.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

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