Saturday, January 24, 2009

Eulogy: Gerald Johnson, 12/30/1926 - 12/28/2007

Eccl. 12:6-7: Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust be returned to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it.

How does one adequately give a to tribute his father - one who cared for him at childhood, offered invaluable advice at young adulthood, and showed an unswerving dedication to his Lord throughout my life. My hero has passed from this life to eternal life. He was ready to go. In his last hours he kept saying over and over, “I love you, Jesus” and “Jesus, I’m ready to go.”

Our loss is heaven’s gain. I feel truly blessed by God to have been a part of the family God allowed me to be born into. Dad showed me what is of true worth. His life from the time of his salvation has been one of passion for service in the work of the Gospel. He never dreamed of retirement, and only a month ago, when he was unable to do so, did he not “work the works of Him who sent him.”

Dad was also a man who loved. He loved his Savior more than anything else. He also loved his family. As children he loved us enough to pray for us, discipline us, and teach us so as to keep us from lives of foolishness and sin. He also loved the lost. He spent 58 years of his life spreading the light to those in darkness. In the last couple days of his life, he repetitiously told us how much he loved us, especially how much he loved his dear wife.

This is not goodbye. We grieve, but not as others who have no hope. The body lying in the casket is not my father. He is more alive than he has ever been. I believe Almighty God took time out of His schedule to step down from His throne, take my father’s hand and lead him through the Celestial City. He has been introduced to a child he has never known. He has been reunited with his parents, he has met Abraham, Moses, and Paul, he has traded stories with Charles Finney, John Wesley, and Dr. Bob Sr., and he has rejoiced with the thousands he led to the Savior as they worship the King of Kings. I tell you, he is more alive than you or I.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”


Dad, we have the blessed hope. We will meet you in the morning.

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