Friday
Sep152006
A Tribute to My GrandfatherIsaac (Jack) Loving
Friday, September 15, 2006 at 7:27PM
The morning I called to check on my Grandfather and learned that he was no longer with us, I had already done my Bible reading for the day. I am glad of that, because the verse I read that day has made me think of him often.
It has nothing to do with comfort or peace. It is not a psalm. It was an odd verse for a devotional book.
I Chronicles 27:30 - Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite.
What a strange verse to find comfort in. What does that have to do with anything? Amy Carmichael, who wrote the devotion I read said this…
“God knows all about you and your difficulties, and your name is not forgotten by Him. He thought the name of a camel driver who lived three thousand years ago worth writing in His book. The names of thousands of great kings are buried and forgotten, but the name of (King) David’s camel driver is remembered to this day.�
I believe Obil was faithful. My grandfather didn’t drive camels. He drove a bulldozer. He drove it faithfully for many years. He did it because he loved his wife and daughter and grandchildren and wanted to provide for them. I never heard him complain about the long days or the heat or the cold. No matter how tired he was he was never too tired to spend time with me when he got home. He was never too tired to sit with me on the front porch swing and read to me or sing to me or to tell me stories.
I have learned so much from him and some of it, I am still learning even as I am 14 hours away right now when I want to be home. I learned to be faithful with the life God gives you. I learned the value of family. I learned that people are more important than things. Granddad was always ready to give even if it required sacrifice.
At Christmas, he was more interested in what he gave us than what he received. I know this, because most of the gifts we gave him, Mom and I had to clean out of the wardrobe when we went through some of their things a couple of years ago. They were still in the box.
But back to what I learned… Granddad was faithful, generous and loved sacrificially. He was a man of integrity. Bernie and I have said often that we hope we have half as much character as he does. I know my brother and sister-in-law felt the same way, because both of us named our sons after him, Jonathan Isaac and Jack.
The last gift Granddad gave me was once again his support. When I broke the news to him that Bernie and I were moving to a country he had never heard of to teach, he was so very happy for us. We were able to talk about what we would be doing in our new jobs. I know that he understood that would mean we would not be there with him when the end came. But as he has always done, his love for us sacrificially let us go without complaint, but with understanding and putting our needs before his own.
I don’t feel like my words have been adequate to describe my Granddad’s character, but Bernie said I would need to write a book to do that. So, I’ll just say I hope we can follow his example.
I think if King David had needed a dozer driver instead of a camel driver, his name would have been Jack.
It has nothing to do with comfort or peace. It is not a psalm. It was an odd verse for a devotional book.
I Chronicles 27:30 - Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite.
What a strange verse to find comfort in. What does that have to do with anything? Amy Carmichael, who wrote the devotion I read said this…
“God knows all about you and your difficulties, and your name is not forgotten by Him. He thought the name of a camel driver who lived three thousand years ago worth writing in His book. The names of thousands of great kings are buried and forgotten, but the name of (King) David’s camel driver is remembered to this day.�
I believe Obil was faithful. My grandfather didn’t drive camels. He drove a bulldozer. He drove it faithfully for many years. He did it because he loved his wife and daughter and grandchildren and wanted to provide for them. I never heard him complain about the long days or the heat or the cold. No matter how tired he was he was never too tired to spend time with me when he got home. He was never too tired to sit with me on the front porch swing and read to me or sing to me or to tell me stories.
I have learned so much from him and some of it, I am still learning even as I am 14 hours away right now when I want to be home. I learned to be faithful with the life God gives you. I learned the value of family. I learned that people are more important than things. Granddad was always ready to give even if it required sacrifice.
At Christmas, he was more interested in what he gave us than what he received. I know this, because most of the gifts we gave him, Mom and I had to clean out of the wardrobe when we went through some of their things a couple of years ago. They were still in the box.
But back to what I learned… Granddad was faithful, generous and loved sacrificially. He was a man of integrity. Bernie and I have said often that we hope we have half as much character as he does. I know my brother and sister-in-law felt the same way, because both of us named our sons after him, Jonathan Isaac and Jack.
The last gift Granddad gave me was once again his support. When I broke the news to him that Bernie and I were moving to a country he had never heard of to teach, he was so very happy for us. We were able to talk about what we would be doing in our new jobs. I know that he understood that would mean we would not be there with him when the end came. But as he has always done, his love for us sacrificially let us go without complaint, but with understanding and putting our needs before his own.
I don’t feel like my words have been adequate to describe my Granddad’s character, but Bernie said I would need to write a book to do that. So, I’ll just say I hope we can follow his example.
I think if King David had needed a dozer driver instead of a camel driver, his name would have been Jack.
Reader Comments (2)
This is such a sweet tribute. One of my uncles drove heavy road paving machinery for the state of Georgia all his life.
Here's to all faithful camel drivers everywhere.
Praise God for people like your grandfather. I also praise God for using that "strange" verse to comfort you. May the thought of seeing him again one day motivate you to love and serve our Lord more.