On Saturday, January 3, 2009, my friend Fred Wood passed away.
I was honored to be asked by his family to do the eulogy at his funeral. Many of you were not able to attend and asked me to post it. I do so in memory of Fred.
Fred Wood's Memorial Service
Davis Struempf Funeral Home
Wed, January 7, 2009
11:00 am
Today, it is my honor to say a few words and remember my dear friend, Fred Wood who I knew very ... very well.
Jessie, my heart goes out to you and your family and I offer you my condolences. Just as you knew everything happening in my life with Fred telling you about our days together; he did the same with Judy, Mary and myself concerning you guys. He always wanted to be that big brother who took care of his little sister ... and he loved you very much. All the time you spent over the last few years taking him for his chemo treatments meant the world to him. He was truly a special man ... never be another one like him. and I and everyone else in this room today ... are better people because of him.
I got to know Fred almost 10 years ago when Orange Hill sent a mission team to Guam to work with Trans World Radio. I knew who Fred was ... but I’d never spent much time with him before that trip.
We had three teams with three different jobs. One team went to do manual labor and new construction at the radio station. Another team went to lead bible studies and backyard bible schools. A third team, the one that I was a part of, was the Sons of Mercy, along with Jason Brown, who went to sing and do some fund raising concerts for the missionaries around the island.
Well, we actually had four teams .... the forth team was Fred. Fred wasn’t able to physically do what everyone else was doing. He couldn’t dig the trenches, or stay out in the sun all day for the bible clubs, or travel around to all the churches, but ... he could cook. Everyday, when everyone else was out in the hot tropical sun, Fred stayed back, in the cool shade, and prepared our meals. We came in every night exhausted ... and famished. Fred used all his experience of cooking biscuits at Martins for all those years ... and made sure we had a hot breakfast in the mornings, and a good, hardy meal at the end of the day.
This was the first time I saw what a servant’s heart Fred had.
In the 13th chapter of John, we read the story of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples before the passover meal. Verse 12 begins:
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Fred knew these things.
I think back over the years, as you do, and we remember all the ways that Fred served us. He did some things that some of you never knew about ... but his heart was set on serving you and his church.
Every Sunday morning, before anyone else arrived at church, Fred would get there early and unlock all the doors, turn on the lights, set up his chair in his Sunday School room and settle in to listen to band practice. If I was five minutes later than he expected me, he’d call and make sure I hadn’t overslept ... every Sunday.
For almost two years, Fred worked a deal with Martins and he’d bring a sausage biscuit to everyone in the band and choir on Sunday mornings. Man, those were the good old days!
On Fridays, Fred would help Judy out and stuff the church bulletins with flyers and brochures.
Every week, Fred would walk through all the pews, making sure that there were offering envelopes. It’d take him almost two hours ... but he’d make sure everyone who sat in the pews had an envelope within reach.
Fred knew these things. Fred had the heart of a servant.
I learned something else about Fred in Guam.
Fred had the heart of a worshipper.
One of the last nights there, we had our big benefit concert. And that night, I remember seeing something that seemed strange to me at the time. Standing down front, right in the middle of the young crowd and the teenagers of the church ... was Fred. With arms raised and tears in his eyes, Fred was lost in the worship of God.
If you know anything about Fred, you know he loved songs about God.
Old songs ... news songs
Hymns ... contemporary
Southern gospel ... rock and roll praise choruses
It didn’t matter to him ... if the song was about Jesus ... he loved it.
So many times on Sunday mornings, when the band was practicing, with Jason and Chris wailing away on electric guitar, Mark playing the drum and me singing on a microphone ... Fred would be the loudest thing in the room. We’d finish up a song with a big rock and roll ending and Fred would shout out “Glory! ... glory!” ... with a tear in his eye.
Other times, during the week, when it’s quiet around the church, Fred would be sitting alone in a room ... and his shaky voice would ring down the halls ...
“He touched me ... oh, He touched me.
And oh, the joy that floods my soul.
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole.”
Psalm 96
Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
Fred had the heart of a worshipper.
But when I think about what I really want to share about Fred with you today ... I think about his faith. Fred had an amazing faith in his Lord. He never lost that “child-like innocence, the wonder, the mystery of who God was.
In Mark 10:15 we read:
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Fred never lost his first love for the Lord. No matter what his circumstances were ... he kept on trusting in the Lord. He never blamed God for his illness ... he lifted up a lot of prayers for healing. But when God didn’t answer his prayers the way he wanted, Fred persevered in his faith. He found comfort and peace in his heavenly Father through Jesus.
Fred found comfort in Matthew 11
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
One of the things Fred would often ask me for is a copy of the lyrics to the songs we sing at church. When he heard a song he liked, he’d come to me and I’d make copies for him. He kept those lyrics in a little folder and he’d carry that folder around in his car.
I’d like to read one of those songs for you. I remember the first time Fred heard us practice this song. He came up to me as soon as we finished singing it and said “That one! That’s my favorite song!’ Mind you, that was the first time he’d ever heard it ... but it was his favorite.
I believe I ended up making 3 or 4 copies of that song because he carried it around with him, not in his folder ... but in his pocket, along with his pocket knife, big set of keys ... and a bottle of orange drink ... all there bulging out of his front pocket. After a few weeks, it’d have orange drink on it ... and I’d make him another copy.
The song is “You Never Let Go” by Matt Redman.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death Your perfect love is casting out fear And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life I won’t turn back, I know You are near And I will fear no evil For my God is with me And if my God is with me Whom then shall I fear? Whom then shall I fear? Oh no, You never let go Through the calm and through the storm Oh no, You never let go In every high and every low Oh no, You never let go Lord, You never let go of me Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on And there will be an end to these troubles But until that day comes Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
That was Fred’s favorite ... and to me, it sums up his life ...and his faith in God.
I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on And there will be an end to these troubles But until that day comes Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
That song, of course, finds its origin in Psalms 23. The night before Fred passed, I was with him at the hospital. He didn’t say anything ... he just looked at me and smiled. I started singing to him and ended with that song. Then I read to him:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Today is an easy day to celebrate!
There’s no question where Fred is and what he’s doing ... he’s worshipping the Lord.
My wife, Meagan said something beautiful to me the day after Fred passed.
She said, “Today, Fred isn’t confused about anything anymore.”
What an amazing and beautifully true statement. Fred sees things perfectly clear now. All his confusion and not understanding things ... all the sickness and pain ... all the cancer and diabetes ... the high blood pressure and back pain ... his crooked walk .... gone!
Philippians 3:20-21 says:
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Jesus Christ will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.
Amen, and praise God for Fred’s new glorious body!
Just like you, I’ve been to funerals where the family and friends can’t say that about the person who’s passed. I’ve heard pastor try to find just one nice thing about the person. Much less, offering any assurance to the families that their loved ones are in heaven.
Scripture is clear. In Acts 4 we read:
There is salvation in no one else but Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Luke 13:
Unless you repent, you will perish.
By not repenting of our sins and rebelling against God, we are saying to him, “Go away. I don’t want you telling me what to do. Leave me alone.” And this is precisely what God does. His judgement is to withdraw from them, to cut them off from himself—permanently. And since God is the source of life and all good things, being cut off from him means death and hell.
Romans 6 says:
For the wages of sin is death ...
But ... it goes on to say:
... but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus offers us a new life ... an eternal life. His death on the cross offers us forgiveness of our sins. He offers us salvation.
And Fred believed that. His life has been a testimony to trusting in the Lord.
John 5:24 says:
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Fred believed in his Lord for his salvation.
Fred longed for that day to stand before Jesus and worship him face to face.
In John 14, Jesus said to his disciples:
'Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.' Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?' Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'
In all the years of knowing Fred ... and watching him suffer physically as he has over the past few years, ... Fred never wavered in his trust in God. He kept his eyes on that heavenly home.
And in living his life the way he did, my friend showed me what it looks like to live a life where God will say “well done, my good and faithful servant.”
I want to close with something Fred said just a few days ago. Mary Tillberry was visiting with him in the hospital. We never knew what to expect from him when we visited. One day, he’d be up, alert and flirting with the nurses ... the next he’d be very quiet, talking very softly. This day was one of the later.
He simply said to Mary, “I want to go home.”
“Why would you want to go home?” Mary said. “There’s no one there to take care of you.”
Fred said, “I miss my quiet time in the mornings with the Lord. I can’t sing to Him here.”
Well, today ... Fred is home.
This morning, Fred had his quiet time with the Lord ... while sitting at the feet of Jesus.
This morning, Fred sang to the Lord .... with a multitude of the heavenly host.
It makes me think of the song by MercyMe, “I Can Only Imagine”.
The lyrics go:
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus (can you see Fred dancing?) ... or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence ... or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah ... will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine.
Fred doesn’t have to imagine anymore.
Revelation 14:13 says:
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors!”
This day, Fred Wood ... our brother ... our friend, is resting from his labors.
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