2022 Lent Stories: Clair Davis
Each Sunday during Lent, different members of our congregation are sharing their stories of pain, suffering, and even death, and how they are finding hope in Christ through it all. Clair turns 89 soon, and he shared these words at our 3/6/22 worship service.
It’s not easy to be old. With my mask on I pant. That just happened on our 17th anniversary at the Van Gogh exhibition. We were there too long, I began to get chest pains so we had to leave. To have to cut short our anniversary event like that, that’s just terrible. I keep on writing away, since ‘if I’m not writing I’m not thinking.’ That goes to 200 people on my email list and maybe 2 or 3 respond. That’s OK but back when I was a preacher I could enjoy seeing people leaning forward, but that doesn’t work with email.
But here’s the good part. Since I do fewer things I enjoy the time I’m with people. I keep on telling Mike about Jesus, and I’m learning to care about what he cares for, won’t that get us closer to his own trust in Jesus? I hope so, I pray a lot for that. Then there’s my Tuesday evening group at Glenside, where I lead a dozen through good books, right now Dane Ortlund’s Deeper. I cut way back on talking, I want to help them with their own joy in Jesus! Then there’s Carol. Isn’t it enough that she does her thing and I do mine? No! I love her and want to be with her and care for her and love her with all my heart. Wow, that’s what it’s like in the aging process, the joy of the Lord!
That big picture of mine is getting awesome, I’m going to die soon! How can I look at this: “For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.” Philippians 1:19-26
‘To die is gain!’ I’ve known that verse a long time, but now it’s more real. Of course it is, to be with Jesus and learn how to rejoice in the Lord, and to chat with those folks who beat me to it. The option is ‘fruitful labor,’ that’s ‘more necessary on your account,’ that’s if I stick around a while longer. Paul says that’s a hard call, he can’t tell what he’s going to choose. But then something changed, now he wants to stay since it’s ‘more necessary on your account.’
No hurry about being with my Jesus, that’s how Paul sees it and I’m learning too. It’s not that ‘die is gain,’ it’s really ‘to live is Christ.’ That’s without being center of attention like in the old days, it’s with being the best encourager I can be on the sidelines. Sidelines, that where Jesus was, getting out of Jerusalem and giving his best in that hick town of Nazareth.
Show me more, Lord Jesus! While you’re at it, keep me from falling on the stairs and help me enjoy panting my way through life, as aging away I learn ‘to live is Christ.’