For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21, NASB)
Our local Links Fellowship here in Texas just lost one of our best, Charlie Lind, the Big Trombone. He recently died of cancer at 85. He received the moniker of the Big Trombone nine years ago when he was 76, in reference to 76 trombones, the lyric from Music Man fame. It seems we all have monikers in this local Fellowship. You can imagine what Clutch means. Another is For The Love Of The Game. I wonder why they named me Mad Dog, but that will have to be the subject of a future devotion.
Here is the backstory. Twelve years ago after a round of golf, Charlie said he had a question and wanted to talk with me. We were beginning to form local Links Fellowships, and I had asked him to join us. Here was his question: “Randy, I believe in God, and I know Jesus died for us. I get it. Why do I need to attend one of your Fellowships and study and read the Bible with a lot of men I don’t know? My faith is personal and private. I really don’t want to share something like this with men I don’t really know.”
You really get to know someone over a 10-year span of Bible studies, golf trips, and excursions to Dairy Queen.I believe my profound answer was, “Come see. You might really like it.” Well, he came. And he came again. He liked the men, and they liked him in return. He started to learn some truths that sustained him. How do I know this? Well, for more than 10 years he picked me up every Friday morning to attend a Links Fellowship. He also joined the Tuesday night Fellowship. He laughed and learned and cried and asked questions. He invited others. And, he and his friend started an idea that continues today. Every day at 3:16 p.m. (refers to John 3:16), the alarms on our watches or cell phones remind all of us to pray for each other. A mutual friend told me recently, “I will always remember the Big Trombone stopping his practice on the range at 3:16 to pray for someone hitting balls next to him or simply stop and bow his head to pray for his brothers.”
Two days before he died, I stopped by the hospice facility to see him. Everyone knew it was just a matter of days before he left this world. What do you say to your friend that you have come to love so much? You really get to know someone over a 10-year span of Bible studies, golf trips, and excursions to Dairy Queen. I knew his heart and his struggles and his fears. I also knew he trusted Jesus.
As I was walking up to the building to see him, I stopped to pray for the right words. Immediately I knew. It is not what I would say, but what would Jesus say. I sat by his bed and read, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). He cried and tears of victory ran down his face. He was ready. The last thing he said to me was, “Jesus has been very, very good to me.” Jesus prepares places for those he loves.
I now know why Charlie needed to come to our Fellowship. It was not just for him. We needed the Big Trombone in our life. He has added a richness and color that we could have not received if he had not come. It has been quite a journey, and some glorious day, it will continue. Jesus told us so.
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Randy Wolff
July 2, 2019
Copyright 2019 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.