Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday December 3, 2007

David Thomas my friend of more than 30 years standing as is his wife Mary, renewed wedding vows Saturday. Dave and Mary have been and are the dearest of friends. Dave is a pastor and a former deacon and served as associate pastor to our church during its darkest period. Most state that Dave's character and deep knowledge of the scripture made a major contribution to the church and to the ministry of my son Jon, now Dr. Jonathan Lilly.

I was honored beyond measure when Pastor Dave called and asked me to be the celebrant for this grand occasion.

It was a good afternoon in the fellowship hall of the church where he and Mary serve the Lord. In the vernacular of the country folks, "a good time was had by all." David's children drove in from the far flung regions of our nation.

During the ceremony many were in tears, and I found that I was fighting back the same as my mind wandered back along the path of these two humble servants of Christ. As with any family there have been ups and downs and deep heartbreak. When I first met Dave and Mary, Dave was serving on the pulpit committee of the church that called me as pastor 32 years ago. He became a friend and has remained a friend for this time. Just before I met Dave and Mary their new born son was found to have serious brain deficiency and was unable to respond to stimulus and began to die as soon as he was born. It took well over a year. The child would lay and grind his teeth by the hour. Dave told me of the agony of that time and tears he would shed as he would hold the baby. Mary was beside herself for years afterward.

In the course of time David felt called to attend Wheaton College. Even though he had no money as the child's illness had taken the assets, David loaded up the family and off he went. In a near miraculous way God opened up a job in the maintenance department and Dave with no visible means, attended Wheaton College! It was not easy, but he and Mary made it.

David is one of those men who remind me of those suffering souls mentioned in Hebrews 11, the passage often called the "Roll Call of Faith." The churches he pastored never rose to the level of supporting him fulltime, so he suplemented his life work by feeding his family from money earned as a corrections officer in the State Prison System, in the maintenance dept. He influenced many men through the daily working with them. He never forgot that he was an officer, nor did he ever forget that he was a man of God. A man needs to have a close walk with Jesus to keep this in balance. When other men would have given up in despair, David and Mary just kept on, often with a tear, but deep inside the songs of Zion were making an encouraging melody in their heart.

I led the gathered family and friends in a verse from Newton's Amazing Grace, "Through many dangers toils and snares we have already come, tis grace has brought us safe thus fare and grace will lead us home." A few chuckles rumbled, till they gave it a thought. When you have been married for fifty years, you know the glorious and yet terribly painful truth of the word. The glory is that God will continue to lead, and if health holds, I hope David and Mary invite me to celebrate their 100th. Hey, who knows?

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

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