Rejoice in the Lord always

Ascension Day Service, Erlo Stegen, 05 May 2016

(Also the funeral of Ruth Bohlmann)

Philippians 4:4-7
“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
We know that at funerals many stories and exaggerations are spoken. But with this lady, Ruth, we can speak the truth plainly.
Once Rev Stegen asked her how she met the Lord and she shared with him and said that he could tell it at her funeral. When she was 9, she was having her quiet time. And she heard someone speaking to her, telling her to read Philippians 4:4-7. She went to her mother and told her what happened and asked her whether she was speaking to her. Her mother replied that she didn’t say anything. It must have been the Lord. Her mother asked her what He said and she answered that He said, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!”. This exemplified her life. She always rejoiced in the Lord. She never had a mood change. Even while she was in pain she never changed. Few lived a life like she did. She wouldn’t cry or moan. She would always be happy. And if you asked her how she was, even though it was going difficult, she would answer that “the Lord is good. The Lord is with me. It is going well.” When her husband parted from this world in 1995, she said that she wanted to continue to stay in Durban in the same house. Rev Stegen said to her that it was difficult to let her stay alone in that house in Durban. She replied that it didn’t matter for the Lord was with her. However, we found a faithful person to stay with her that she would not be alone. And she stayed there a long time. After many years Rev Stegen invited her again to come and live with him in his house. And she complied. Never did she murmur or complain that she didn’t want to stay at KwaSizabantu. There are many little children in the house. Rev Stegen asked her if the children wouldn’t trouble her. But she said that they didn’t trouble her at all. She loved children close by and around her. This was the epitome of her life and she exemplified these verses throughout her life. Nearing the end of her life she had to go and see the doctors in Durban often and whenever she returned she rejoiced saying she was going “home”. Then she also said that soon she was going to her home in heaven.
While she was in hospital, many children would go and sing for her, and she would sing together with all her heart. On the day that she would pass away, the doctor called us to come quickly with the children. When they arrived the doctor told them that she had passed away ten minutes before. She was as if peacefully asleep. It wasn’t as if she had died, but simply as if she fell asleep. Death had lost its sting (1Cor 15:55-56).
Are we obedient to this verse to always rejoice in the Lord. Even when she was obviously in pain and discomfort she would say, “I rejoice in the Lord. He is with me.”
“Let your patience be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.”
This isn’t just a dead message written on paper. This was her very life.
“And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.”
They say when people get old they can be a nuisance, but aunt Ruth was the opposite. May God grant us more such people.

Music:
KwaSizabantu Choir: NGIZOMBONGA NGITHINI

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KwaSizabantu Choir: I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES

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DSS Brassband:

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DSS Brassband:

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Sermon in other languages:
German:

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French:

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