God's Gift

I come from a family with six children with my dad being an auto repairman. Obviously he spent his time trying to make ends meet for such a large family. Little time was available for playing with the children. But God blessed me with the time to play with my child. Boy, did we play!

For years we played: basketball, baseball, soccer and golf. Jonathan was a gifted athlete, a pleasure to coach and a joy to watch play. He was an all-star baseball player. Once he hit an over-the- fence home run during an all-star playoff game. In another championship-deciding game the coach moved Jonathan from shortstop to center field at the bottom of the last inning with two outs and the winning run at the plate. The batter hit the ball over the fence but Jonathan was there to catch it and save the season championship. Jonathan decided to play soccer a little later than most kids. However, in his first two games he scored two and three goals, respectively! When it came to basketball, he was a natural. He could shoot, rebound and play defense in an almost effortless manner - always the team player. When he was twelve I began to take him and his brother Michael to play par three golf. On one Saturday morning I watched in amazement as he hit a hole-in-one!

But life is not all fun and games. Jonathan's gifts as an athlete did not help in the classroom. He struggled there but managed to graduate with prayer and considerable help and encouragement from his mother. We were proud of him knowing the struggle he had had. But what next? What kind of career should/could Jonathan pursue? He said he wanted to be outdoors - he couldn't work in an office day after day. So the saga of his job experiences began. During the next five years he worked as a waiter, as a cook as a bagel maker, as a carpenter's assistant as a highway line painter, as a surveyor, as a lumber yard worker, as a warehouse shipment laborer, as a salesman, as a retail outlet stock clerk, as a produce deliveryman, as a telecommunications serviceman. Altogether, there were at least fifteen different jobs. The disappointment and discouragement was often evident in Jonathan's face as he watched his more talented friends enter and complete college with such promising lives before them.

Jonathan was a humble, loving, honest, gentle, kind, simple person. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour when he was twelve. Jonathan wasn't a pew warmer, though. He liked to experience God outside the church as well - through people and God's creation. He loved to fish. I believe he had his deepest spiritual experiences when sitting at the edge of the water, fishing. It didn't matter to Jonathan whether the fish were biting or not. He could commune with God there.

Jonathan loved being with his friends, loved having fun and loved making others laugh. It broke his heart to lose friends to time and change as happens as our lives move from phase to phase. Jonathan loved to be out in the community where he could see his friends and meet new people. Oh! and he LOVED children! His mother runs a home daycare. He told her on many occasions that all he wanted to do was stay home with her and help run the daycare. He looked forward to seeing the kids before leaving for work in the morning. He often came home for lunch just to spend a few minutes playing with them. He rushed home from work to catch them before they left for the day. Really, Jonathan was just a big child who wanted other kids to experience the love and happiness that he had known.

Jonathan wasn't perfect. As a matter of fact, he tested the Grace of God on several occasions. But his earnest desire to do what was right was always clear. When he would get in trouble he would cry like a baby as he realized the heartbreak he had brought to those that loved him. On a least two other occasions in his young life God spared him from an early death, surviving automobile accidents resulting in totally destroyed vehicles. On those occasions, his death would have been a tragedy that would have burdened his family forever. God is good and faithful. He spared Jonathan.

Recently Jonathan had started yet another new job. He was enjoying the new situation, meeting new people learning about them and sharing his love for God and family. One of his co-workers and Jonathan formed a prayer team. She asked Jonathan to pray that God would give her a new job that she had applied for. Jonathan asked her to pray that his `ship would come in'.

On Thursday of last week circumstances resulted in Jonathan driving my motorcycle to work (the car he normally drove had to be taken in for service). Less than a mile from work, about five miles from home on a wet rode, traveling 35 mph the motorcycle lost traction and slid into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Jonathan died instantly at age 23. It may be difficult for you to understand but Jonathan's ship had come in - he was taken into the arms of Jesus. The next day his co-worker and prayer partner got her new job.

On Friday, our closest friends and family member came by to solace us as best they could.

On Saturday, Jonathan's friends, family and acquaintances showed amazing love in reaching out to us by visiting our home coming to the wake.

Sunday morning Jonathan's mother and I conducted a graveside service for Jonathan. We spoke of many of the things mentioned above. Jonathan's uncle had told me of a very unusual experience he had the day following Jonathan's death. As he sat outside his place of business a large butterfly settled beside him for several minutes. As it sat there he put his finger on its wing and stroked it. The butterfly sat still, even as the breeze blew. In a minute it took flight and was gone. His uncle did not know what this meant. But God revealed it to me. As I stood before his large, loving family and a few loving friends at the graveside, I told them this:

In closing, let me say that we know that Jonathan is in the arms of Jesus where he is loved and appreciated completely and unconditionally, where he is no longer confused and frustrated by the complexities of this world, where he is no longer measured by the yardstick of vanity. Do not weep for Jonathan, do not weep for his family. Weep for those who have hope only in this world.

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