The Good Fight

2 Timothy 4:7&8  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up 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 loved his appearing.

I lost a friend Monday. Don Frederickson passed away.  He was a the Head Elder at Grace Lutheran Church and he was the guy who thought I should get out of my comfortable chair and become and Elder. He was the guy who offered me the chance to serve that has been an awesome journey thus far with much more to come. I will miss Don, yet I am glad He stands in the presence of His Savior and suffering in a hospital bed.

Don was an interesting guy. He was pretty straightforward, blunt and to the point. If he did not like something that was going on, he spoke his mind. He was a good friend, kind and generous. All nice qualities to be certain. Yet this is not what assured Don a place in heaven. Don was very firm in his belief that he was saved through the grace of God, and not by anything he had done or could ever do. He was adamant about this to the very end. He was a pillar of faith and firm in his belief that Jesus Christ died on the cross so that all men would be free from sin. Embracing Christ was how Don saw his future. His was a simple and yet strong faith. Yet, he was not pretentious about this. He would tell you exactly what was on his mind, at any time. He shared his faith and beliefs with others, especially the Saturday Men's breakfast and bible study. He was a regular attender. As his health declined, he stepped aside from his duties as an Elder with grace. He fought the good fight, he finished the race, and he kept the faith. The words of 2 Timothy 4: 8 ring very true. "Henceforth, there is laid up 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 loved his appearing."

In many respects, Don reminds me of the standing stones that would be placed at the gates to ancient communities. They had a story to tell, they marked an event of significance. They let others know about the place and event they commemorated. Don honored his Savior at every opportunity. It was a privilege to know Don, and to serve our Savior with Don. He will be missed. To God be all the glory in all that we do.

PRAYER: Father, we thank you for the life of Don Frederickson. We thank you for his love of others, his service to You, and his inspirational faith and love of Christ. As we go forward Father, help us to not grieve, rather to rejoice in Don's victory over death. Thank You for the promise given each of us in Christ Jesus. And we ask for the peace from You that comforts all in this time of mourning for his family and friends. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus Christ. Amen.