It's Tuesday Night

It's Tuesday night.  I should be at Bible study.

For the last eight or nine years, as I've been able, I've spent my Tuesday nights with a precious group of ladies, studying God's Word.  Last Friday I attended the homegoing of my eighty-eight year old Bible-study teacher, Mrs. Martha Del Elkins.  Bitter.  Sweet. 

Mrs. Del taught me and challenged me and loved on me in ways I will never, ever forget.  Her gentle but persistent prodding is absolutely the reason why the beginning of my days are dedicated to spending time with the Lord.  Mrs. Del prayed for my pastor by name every day, even though she's never met him.  Even after suffering more than one stroke, she knew more scripture by heart than I will ever know.  In recent years, as she was less able to get around, Mrs. Del spent, literally, hours in prayer every single day.  Hours.  Really.

Del Elkins left the kind of legacy we should all want to leave.  The words spoken at her funeral were so mesmerizing that I found myself frantically taking notes on my phone.  Mrs. Del has impacted my life in more ways than I can say, and I've known her less than a decade.  I was absolutely blown away by the stories that were told.  As much as is humanly possible, she lived an utterly selfless life.  Over the course of her life, Martha Del Elkins poured into hundreds if not thousands of lives. 

My pastor frequently challenges us as Christians that we should never be tempted to "run out the clock."  We need to "leave it all on the field."  Mrs. Del absolutely left it all on the field. 

Remember that old song, "Thank You," by Ray Boltz?  Someone sang it at her funeral.  Yep, I bawled.  There's no doubt in my mind, people whose lives were changed are STILL lining up in heaven to tell Martha Del Elkins "thank you for giving to the Lord."

It's Tuesday night.  I miss you, Mrs. Del.  See you again soon.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace,
      Whose mind is stayed on You,
      Because he trusts in You.