Reverend Marvin Davis

What is a great man? Is a man made great by doing big things? Or can a simple man be great for bringing his family through the Great Depression unscathed? I know a great man, I call him Grandpa, just as Wife #1 does. Grandpa-in-law just doesn't sound right. He is ninety-two years old, and is dying.

My mind feels drained as I force myself to write this post, if it seems off somehow, my deepest and most sincere apologies. Or something.

Marvin Davis had the greatest faith of any man I have known. It was so great because it was untainted, it was simple. He knew God's promises and believed them. I wish I could do the same so easily. While Wife #1 and I went through our personal wasteland, I remember his prayers for us. We would swing by the Grandparents house after visiting The Greatest Mother and Father-in-Law Ever (TM) , and Grandma and Grandpa would always be happy to see us. Even if we came by late at night, like past 7:30.

We would sit at the dining room table and bow our heads, and he would pray for us. He would remind God of His promises and let Him know that we were not scared that He would not keep His word, we were merely waiting for Him.

His voice would not shake or waver and I always felt peace wash over me. His faith was so great and pure that it dragged me along with it. I knew that God would take care of us, I knew that there was a plan, I had just merely forgotten for a bit, his faith would remind me.

Faith without works is dead.

He would pray for us, then Grandma would reach into her purse and pull out some money. They knew that God would take care of us, they also knew that God uses His people to care for each other. They were always concerned that we would run out of food. How silly, all you have to do is look at my gut and realize that I could out live a camel in the desert; but, of course, I hadn't lived through the Great Depression.

We make jokes about the tales "old people" tell us, but I always tried to listen to Grandpa's tales. We are so soft and spoiled. The stories about living through the Depression still amaze me. Of course, that is why his faith was so strong, after living through something so horrible, relying only on God to take care of you, and He does, I would think most anyone's faith would be strong.

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.

The most insidous trap confront us every day, the trap of easy living. When hard times come, we cry out for them to pass, we pray for the easy life to come back, but the easy life saps our faith, hard times make us strong.

We do not mourn as those who have no hope.

Dr. Dave, the wisest doctor I have known, is putting a "pain patch" on Grandpa today. Once this is done, he will feel no more pain, but will live for less than 24 hours. That is for the best. Grandpa will sleep and awake to his God. His faith will be repaid a hundredfold and there will be no more pain for him. He will even get to hang out with my Mom who he first thought was my sister when he met her since she looked so young and filled with energy.

We will miss you Grandpa, sleep well.

Fritz