He is with Us Always

Yesterday we said goodbye to my Uncle Boots at his memorial service.  I last saw him a year ago at my dad's sister, Opal's funeral.  He looked frail, but still the same ol' guy I knew since birth.  He was married to my Aunt Rolene "Nene", and even after she passed away and he remarried, I still called him uncle.  He was 23 years older than my dad as was Aunt Nene.  My grandparents all passed away at early points in my childhood, and my Aunt and Uncle really stepped into that role for my sister and me.  

My uncle had a mouth that would make a sailor blush.  He seemed hard to people who didn't know him, but to those of us who knew him well, he loved well.  He gave everything he had to others, and I remember countless times that he spent time and money on me and my sister.  He started a rescue operation to rescue stranded boaters and swimmers in Galveston County, and ran that organization for many years.  He lived down the street from my small Christian school, so I would spend mornings with him before school, eating cereal and talking about the day ahead.  I would always tell him I was praying for him.  

Fast forward to yesterday when the pastor of his church talked about how he came to Jesus at nearly 80 years old, and his life changed over the next few years.  The pastor talked about how he knew people in his life had been a living witness throughout his life of a good God.  The cursing was few and far between, and he began to serve in his church in whatever way he could.

This blessed me so much.  God is with us always, and He is always at work in us.  He uses each part of our lives in some way for His glory.  When Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:20 that He is with us always, it was after He had given the great commission to go out and tell others about Jesus.  I told my uncle about Jesus all of my childhood.  I know others lived out the gospel in front of Him, and I believe God used all of those experiences to draw my uncle to Him.  He is with us always, friends.

Live out the gospel because everyone is watching.  People are looking for hope today, and they want to know they are not alone.  God is with us, He is at work in us, and He wants to work through us to bring others to Him.  Be encouraged today, you are not alone.