"Listen... to
your father’s instruction… " Proverbs1:8
Ephesians
6:10-20;24
“Finally, be
strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so
that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when
the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have
done everything, to stand.
Stand firm
then…”
“…with the belt
of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in
place…”
Glenn Cash follows
Christ with dedication and fervor. He has a heart that ardently pursues truth.
He trusts in the words of Scripture and, from a heart of love for God, adheres
to the principles and wisdom He reads and studies. His persistent resolve to
obey God, trains a righteousness that guards our hearts. Glenn taught Jeff the
truth of Jesus’ salvation. Jeff embraced that truth with his whole being
effecting generations and other nations for Christ. Glenn’s pursuit of
understanding echoes and deeply influences Jeff’s personal choice to explore
the depths of the mysteries of God. In study and in teaching, Jeff serves as he
watched his dad serve: diligently
discovering and proclaiming truth, shielding hearts with a righteousness that
frees and renews. We are deeply thankful for Glenn's faithfulness and we honor his commitment to love and serve to the glory of the Lord. His influence and consistent prayer for our family has guarded our hearts as we seek to continue in truth.
“…and with the your
feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
My Dad means the
world to me. Always has. He easily engages the people in his world with love,
grace and humor. When people in his community are hurting, my Dad gets the
call. He cares genuinely and is ready to go. Dad is always ready to go. Out the
door-- to the hospital, to the funeral home and to death
beds. He brings peace. The peace of Christ which transformed his own life
dramatically, decades ago. My Dad carries Christ with him to every place, especially
the dark and shadowy ones where Jesus’ light can soothe and comfort. Dad offers
this peaceful support with such deep abiding joy. I’ve always wanted to be just
like him. It is no surprise that I found my feet ‘fitted’ with the same
readiness that I witnessed in his. I guess I was ready to go too. His
sacrificial support of my calling sustains in places no one else can touch. He
is my hero and my dearest friend.
“In addition to all
this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one.”
I spent many days and
hours in the company of my Granddaddy. He was an extremely reserved man, so
most of those hours were quiet but his constant love was very, very loud. The
complete assurance of his adoration and care for me affected me deeply. During
a very trying time in my life I was asked by a
spiritual mentor to design a shield that would protect me from some of the
arrows (figurative) being flung in my direction. After I completed the task, I described the shield to my
wise friend. When I was finished, she nodded and said, “If this shield was the
strongest, most impenetrable shield available, who would you have build it?”
Without hesitation or
even conscious thought I replied, “Granddaddy. Granddaddy would build it.”
Love conquers all.
Granddaddy’s love for me was fueled by a faith he rarely spoke about but instead lived out daily one faithful, generous step at a time. Even though he is physically gone from my life, his steadfast devotion continues to protect me in the battles that I face. I
miss him so very much.
"Take the helmet of
salvation…”
This picture sits on
Jeff’s desk. It is a photo of a very young Jeff with his Granddad, AJ Small.
Jeff tells the story of his Granddad delighting in watching him baptize his
cousins and sister in the irrigation ditches that ran alongside Grandad’s
house. They were little children acting out the blessing of obedience and
salvation. A salvation AJ received and proclaimed with his life. AJ was a finish carpenter, an amazing one. He worked hard, loved his family, endured heavy
physical illness and delighted in God’s word. Jeff recalls his love for
scripture, his determination that Jeff could handle responsibility and his
constant encouragement for Jeff to exercise independence (AJ let 8 yr old Jeff
walk to the ranching store alone much to the chagrin of AJ’s wife and daughter
at the time!). Granddad Small realized his salvation fully before I joined his
family. I’m sure he would delight to know that his grandson would continue
baptizing and proclaiming salvation. We will all be together again someday. I
can’t wait to meet him around that Throne.
“...and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Granddad Cash was the
captain of the police force in the town where he raised his family. He was a
protector and a guard for the just and the good. He carried a gun every day,
but only fired it once in his lifelong career. He said that there were better ways
to solve a problem than with a gun. Weapons had their place, he taught, but
should be respectfully wielded in conflict.
Granddad Cash loved
Christ and His church and served as an elder for many years. He acted as
defender in that capacity too, utilizing the most valued weapon in his arsenal,
the word of God. He trusted the tenets of scripture with his life and taught
his children and grandchildren faithfully to follow Christ with their whole
hearts. His influence penetrated deeply as he spoke truth about following God.
Jeff often tells a
story of hiking with his Granddad. During the hike, Jeff recalls his Granddad
encouraging him to lift his eyes every once and awhile. Granddad said, “When we
are walking we are often watching the path just in front of us. Too often we
miss the incredible views around. We need to lift up our eyes and see the great
expanse God designed around us. Not just watch the path at our feet.”
It was a moment that
would echo in Jeff’s mind and spirit for decades. Jeff has nurtured a powerful,
visionary heart that confidently lifts eyes to see the expanse of God’s design.
Granddad Cash encouraged this vision by carefully carving inspiration with a
weapon he very much respected. The words of God. We miss Granddad Cash very
much, but walk out his wisdom still.
“And pray in the
Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests. With this in
mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
My Grandpa Money was
a strong man; a very hard worker. He and my Granny raised seven children on an
oil field worker’s salary in dry West Texas towns. He was diligent and
dedicated. He adhered to strict roles as he led his home. He was the provider
and my Granny took care of the household responsibilities. As far as I know,
they were both content in their circumstance. My Granny suffered through many
strokes in the years I remember her most. I watched my Grandpa step out of his
well-practiced role of working outside the home and walk confidently into the kitchen. He cooked and
cleaned and took care of my Granny who became increasingly debilitated in the
last years of her life. Grandpa stepped up, in exorbitant love. I witnessed him
keeping his promises and serving his wife and his God, beautifully. He was a good,
good man.
Of all the memories I
have of my Grandpa (dominoes, silly songs and the way he closed his eyes when
he was remembering the details of a story he was telling) it is his prayers
that emerge prominent. I remember how he held Granny’s hand and leaned in close
over her bed when he prayed for her meals. I remember where he sat at the table
in the kitchen and how his hand felt when he held mine. I remember his voice
and how he ended every prayer the exact same way, “…we beg in Jesus name,
Amen.” You could count on Grandpa's prayers. They were just like him. Solid, dependable, consistent and full of faith.
“Pray also for me,
that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make
known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray
that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
I see in Jeff attributes of each of these strong men of
faith. Jeff embodies a true soldier spirit, armed and ready, protected and
sure. I so greatly esteem and depend on Jeff’s fearless heart as he proclaims
the mysteries of the gospel to those in our community, in our churches and to
the treasures in our home. Our children are following in Jeff’s courageous
steps as he has followed in the steps of those before him. How grateful I am
that these footfalls rest on a trail blazed by a Faithful, Merciful King. A
King we have watched, in the generations before us, redeem, heal, sustain and
welcome home.
I honor each of these men today for their dedication to
their families and for loving as Christ does. Because of their choices and
their faithfulness my world and the world of my children was set on a solid
foundation. I am forever grateful.
“Grace to all who
love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.”
Praise the Lord!
