No Greater Joy

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 Jn 4)

It’s past midnight, I usually have the P&D post up by now, but I just returned home from a late night visiting a friend in ICU. We usually think of this verse when we think of our flesh and blood children, but it is probably more accurate to think of spiritual children instead. This night is a night of joy for me.

Circumstances made it such that I couldn’t make it to visit until very late. My friend’s name is Bob. He earlier told my wife that he’d like to see me, even if it was late, so there I was. He was up and alert and a real blessing. He is older than I am, it may seem strange to think of him as one of “my children,” but that is indeed the relationship.

Thinking back, this was a relationship long in the making. Many years ago (25-30) our little church went caroling in the neighbourhood where we met for worship services. We happened to sing outside the home of my friend’s inlaws. His mother-in-law started attending our church. Next, his wife began to attend. Then it was Bob’s turn. First we had some conversations, talked about the gospel, but he put me off. I gave him a book to read. Still he put me off. Somewhere in this period we started a Patch the Pirate club. The kids began to sing once a month on Sunday nights. Bob decided to come. “For the kids,” he said.

After that, eighteen years ago, we purchased our own church building. We decided to kick off our first week in the building with a week of meetings with Todd Sivnksty (now pastor of Berean Baptist in Lilburn, GA). Bob came out the first night. We were pleased. He came out every night after that. On the Thursday night, he stayed behind in the invitation time and asked the Lord to save him. I think his was the only real decision that week.

Bob grew in the Lord, became a leader in our church. He is one of our deacons. He is an old school Navy veteran who the Lord turned around. This last year some health challenges came up. Doctors ran many tests, unable to pinpoint the problem. The last weeks things got worse. Shortness of breath, difficulty speaking, any effort at all left him gasping and faint. We knew it wasn’t good. Bob talks about exposure to asbestos during the Navy years. It may well be the cause of his troubles.

Today was a difficult day for him. His wife took him in to emergency. Many more tests run today. At last they know. It is some kind of cancer around the lungs. His condition isn’t treatable. He is to be moved to hospice care tomorrow. Of course there is sorrow, but this is where the joy comes in.

As I visited Bob, he told me about his confidence in the Lord. “It’s like a 7,000 pound weight is off my shoulders,” he said. Now he knows what the problem is. He only has a few weeks. “I’m not worried,” he said, “I know where I am going.”

He told me that lately he’s memorized in Philippians 4. “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Phil 4.4) … “That’s a command!” Bob says. “And,” he reminded me, “it goes on.” “Be careful for nothing!” (Phil 4.6)

To hear him speak like this warms my heart. Bob’s testimony is steady, quiet, and unexpressive in many ways. He comes from a generation that doesn’t wear its feelings (or deep beliefs) on its sleeve. As a pastor, it is especially rewarding to hear a believer express, unprompted, his living faith. Of course, in Bob’s situation, it especially stirs my emotions. But let me say this to any believer who reads this, the more you immerse yourself in your Bible, the more your pastor will be blessed when you spontaneously pour out the glory of God that resides in your soul. Your casual conversation will show the state your spirit is in.

There is no greater joy than to know your children walk in the truth.

UPDATE: On Sunday morning, Nov 11, 2018, my dear friend Bob passed into the presence of his Saviour. His last words when to my wife on her last visit with him, gasped out with effort, “Be anxious for nothing!”

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Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.