Job 14:14
If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
"IF"
Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind. ~ C. S. Lewis ~
I am thankful for the life of Sis. Reaver Mayfield. She was a dedicated and die-hard member in this Church. Her work speaks for her. Among the many admirable qualities she possessed; I can tell you she was not an Iffy personality.
She was who she was and didn’t care who knew it. She was tender-hearted but knew how to rally to the defense of her family, church, friends, and Pastor. Sister Mayfield was a good christian woman.
I have a very Delicious and sustaining memory of the time she was associated with this church. Mother Mayfield loved the church. This soldier possessed a deep and abiding committment to our Lord. Her love was evidenced by the multiple obstacles she conquered just to get a seat in this house. Yes, she did what many healthy and able bodied members don’t do, she did her best despite debilitating odds.
Lord send me members who will worship when they are sick.
Members who may not be able to walk, but are determined to walk with you.
Members who require someone to hold their hand to stand up and yet are still holding to your unchanging hand.
I need some members who will serve you during good times and bads.
Members who will send their tithes to the Lords house when they can’t get here. The times are too numerous to count wherein somebody would walk up to me and say "Pastor here’s Sister Mayfield’s tithes." Thank God for people who love the church.
So many times she would methodically make her way into God’s house and make her way to her seat.
Now Sister Mayfield had a seat. None of that "If you get there before I do save a seat for me stuff", she had her own seat. She took great pain in getting to the front of the church. In her own time she would get there.
When she did finally reach her destination, she was a preacher’s friend. She didn’t mind saying Amen to the preacher. I hope she willed that to some of you and maybe you can take up where she left off.
She was not messy like many but was on a mission to promote love in the church. Peace is not easy to come by with some people. Her departure will leave a hole in ours hearts for the rest of our time in this life.
Her sickness according to her was never as extensive or as indicative of pain and suffering as one thought. She was not a complainer but assuredly was a comforter. You could never leave her presence without being infected with cheer. This dear lady was a symphony of joy and happiness all by herself. Her music will be missed.
I remember my last visit to her as she Contemplated the wealth of bad news that he had just received. If anyone should have been down in the mouth or had a reason to despair; I suggest she had that right. But instead she reached into herself and found a little more strength.
She was undeterred by the bombardment of pain.
In my opinion she was a modern Job.
Suffering seemed to trigger her faith.
She was like Jacob in that she held on and wouldn’t let go.
She never let go of God. He was her medication of choice.
In closing can I share with you a few IFS?
IF......DAYS ARE LIMITED
Psalm 90:10
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
IF......DELAY IS DANGEROUS
Psalm 95:7
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
While the blood is running warm in your veins.
While you have a chance.
While you are still in the land of the living.
IF......DEEDS ARE WEIGHED
Mark 8:36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
IF....DRAWING IS NEEDED
John 12:32
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
IF....DEATH IS IMMINENT
2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
IF...... DELIVERANCE IS CREDITED
Psalm 124:1
If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
IF.....DOUBT IS BANISHED
John 11
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
Psalm 139:8
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
An old lady spent much of her summer setting and swinging in the old swing hanging on her front porch. Her husband had been dead several years and she had withdrawn from all but the closest family.
Her lonely time grew and grew?
So, one spring day, the old lady went out in the garage and pulled the old roto-tiller out from under the rusty tub that covered the engine.
The old lady had found a big bag of seeds that was a vine that would bear bright red flowers.
The old lady loved bright red things.
She made a decision, get out of the swing and grow beautiful flowers to enjoy.
With great excitement, she pulled real hard on the rope, and with great effort, she finally got the old roto-tiller to run. There was a wall of concrete blocks between her and the neighbors driveway.
The blocks were laid .. a block and a space or a gap .. then another block and a space all the way down the driveway, all the way to the garage.
With great effort the old lady plowed between the driveway and the wall.
She blistered her hands, her back hurt, but the jarring roto-tiller finished the task.
With feelings of accomplishment and pride, she got down on her knees and planted all the seeds in several rows along the wall.
The rains came, the Lord blessed the little seeds and the sun shine warmed the ground.
One day the little old lady saw the heads of the plant break forth, and the vines grew and grew ... until the vines completely covered the wall.
The vines so grew that the wall could not be seen. She would sit daily in the swing and watch the progress of the vine. This was great joy to the old lady.
Beautiful vines .. but no flowers, zero. da nada, nothing. Where are all the bright red flowers?
One day after much disappointment and great thought the lady decided -- I planted those vines for flowers, bright red flowers and there are none.
I am going to cut those dumb empty vines down and burn them.
She went down the driveway into the garage and got the rusty old hoe, sharpened the edge and started chopping the vines down. As she chopped down the green vines she grinned ear to ear.
The neighbor was pulling into his drive way. He skidded to a halt and jumped out of his car and ran over to her. He said, "What on earth are you doing? I know this is your property and that is your vine, and you can do as you chose. But, why are you cutting down this vine?"
The old lady explained to the kind neighbor, "I planted this not for the vine, but for the bright red flowers, and there are none. After all my sweat and blisters and watering, not one flower. I am cutting this down because there are no red flowers and that is why I planted them!"
Without one word the neighbor took the feeble old lady by the hand and lead her to the other side of the wall. And on his side of the fence, there were over a million of the brightest red flowers you have ever seen, between every block were many of the brilliant blossoms.
We don’t see on the other side of glory, but keep on watering and planting. Our giving is laying up treasures in store.
In the final analysis, Sister Mayfield was too sweet for this world. God is right now populating eternity.
IF...DOING IS DONE
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
If we can just see Jesus.....It will more than pay us for all the pain & suffering in this life.
If we can just sit somewhere around the throne........our seats down here will pale in significance.
