A Guy I wish I could Have Lunch With

A friend mentioned meeting up with his grandad to me this morning, and how much he enjoyed it. First it made me consider my own grandfather and how he died when I was still young, then I thought of my great uncle Bobby.

Probably the godliest man i've met and a great friend. He and his wife Maud lived not far from where I went to high school and i'd quite regularly visit them over lunch time and after school. Then in my early 20's after conversion I loved going to chat and talk with this man of God.

He'd share things from his youth, tell me jokes, open the scriptures, tell me some funny tales of various characters he'd met over the years and then we'd pray together.

Sure he was quite traditional in some of his views, but I saw him losen his grip on many things as God would often put godly people in his path who contradicted some of his tightly held convictions. He learned that Scripture alone was the measuring rod of Christianity and that traditional values (as good as they may be) were to be put on the shelf when it came to judging others.

He prayed for me every single day, like Job sacrificing on behalf of his children, and when he died I felt the loss of those prayers in many areas of my life.

He was a legend to me, the last of a dying bunch. He'd worked the famous cranes in H&W at the docks, been at Nichholson's meetings, knew many of the guys we read about in books, and never once raised his head in anything other than humility and service, pointing to Jesus alone.

I look forward to seeing him again, but for now, i'd love to call at his house, have some salad sandwhiches, tea and a good old chat.