Beginning and Ending and Points in Between

In the past two weeks I have attended a funeral service and a wedding. Makes you think a bit about life. The funeral was for a lady who worked for many years at headquarters and retired the same year that I started with WGM, 1985. So I had never met her to my knowledge. But I found myself in the position of representing WGM in that service and saying a few words to honor her life given to ministry through her accounting abilities at headquarters.

It's interesting how most people pass through life without acclaim or fame. It was a privilege to honor Wilfa Moorman and to inform her grandchildren who were present about the international impact her life had as part of a worldwide team reaching into many cultures with the good news that Jesus offers them new life and an eternity with God. Most people at the funeral had no idea that Wilfa was a force for the gospel on the international scene.

I related how when Dr. Steury operated on a Maasai warrior in Kenya, his teammate Wilfa was freeing him from the concerns of filing taxes so that he could focus on the ministry there. Or when Harold Harriman was opening areas of Bolivia to the gospel message, Wilfa was making sure the mission maintained sound fiscal accountability here at HQ, something that helped keep the Harrimans on the field. I shared that urgent prayer was needed for the Harriman's son, Hubert, who as a young boy had a serious knee infection, Wilfa was part of the team in Marion that got on their knees and prayed in help for this missionary kid who would one day be president of the mission. Finally, I shared that if it is possible to be surprised in heaven, that likely Wilfa was surprised as men and women from Kenya, Bolivia, and other points around the globe approached her and thanked her for being part of the team that brought the good news to their village, resulting in their being in heaven.

Then, at the other end of the life cycle, I attended the wedding of a missionary kid to a preacher's son. In that ceremony, this young couple expressed their desire to be used of God in their life together. The ceremony was thoughtful and packed with expressions of their love for each other and for God. I wondered what will be said in another 60 years or so about their contribution to the kingdom.

I guess the point of all this is that we each have the opportunity and the mandate to be part of winning the world for Christ. Each of us has a mission, custom tailored by God for us. I'd love to hear how that is working out in your life. Have any reflections that you would care to post here as a comment to this blog entry? I'd love to hear from you.