On Thursday, near midnight, Jesus Our Lord came to take Oom Tim home.  He was several days short of 92.  Oom Tim usually came to church with his son, John, and after the service, they did not stay for lunch.  John normally took Oom Tim out to eat.  Once a month I and several members of our church who live in Orange County gathered at his house for Bible Study.  He was always happy to welcome us to his home for a time of fellowship.  We will miss you, Oom Tim.

We are of course sad when a child of God dies, but we never despair because we know where he is now—in Heaven with Our Heavenly Father.  There in His presence and surrounded by all the saints, we become the people we are meant to be.  The imperfection of life that has tainted us is forever gone; as a result, we will be fully and authentically the persons God created us to be. 

C. S. Lewis says, “We shall be true and everlasting and really divine persons only in Heaven . . . “ Just like “a color first reveals its quality when placed by an excellent artist in its pre-elected spot between certain others . . . so we shall then first be true persons when we have suffered ourselves to be fitted into our places.  We are marble waiting to be shaped . . . “ C. S. Lewis further explains.  The truth is God has begun shaping us now; each day we obediently respond to His Word, we become closer to the original design God has in mind.

Being a quiet man, Oom Tim hardly spoke in our time of fellowship.  Once he shared his life’s experiences and gave thanks to God for guiding his life and blessing him beyond his imagination.  When I heard his testimony, I could not help but see that God always had His eye on Oom Tim. From Central Java to West Java, to China, to Macao, to Los Angeles and Fullerton, God guided Oom Tim and his family. On Thursday, Oom Tim completed the last leg of his journey.  

Pastor Paul