reflecting on Paul Grabill’s life and death

The church of State College lost a hero last week.  We gathered today, men and women from various congregations around town, family and friends from across the state, to pay our respects to Paul Grabill and his family.  We prayed and worshiped, thanking God for Pastor Paul’s life, his leadership and influence.  We heard stories from his children, laughing and crying as they shared glimpses into their life together.  They played a message from Paul via cd–he shared the Good News about Jesus Christ, and invited people to commit their lives to following him.

Pastor Paul was not the pastor of my church, but he touched my life.  He was my pastor’s best friend, a partner in ministry here in State College for the past 17 years.  Dan and Paul, Paul and Dan…both men committed to seeing the Kingdom of God breakthrough in State College, a vision of the church of the city healthy and growing.

Like most people at the memorial service, I was fighting back tears most of the morning.  Dan read from 1 Thessalonians 4, where the Apostle Paul writes that “we do not grieve as those who have no hope.”  We grieve, certainly, because we feel the loss of Pastor Paul.  But as Pastor Paul was quick to remind us, this world is not our home.  Our time on earth is temporary, and isn’t meant to be be our eternity.

Pastor Paul lived well, and he died well.  He leaves behind a legacy–faith and family.  His vision of the church was bigger than the local Assembly of God.  He lived the vision of the church without walls.  He was a voice for the King and kingdom.

In a moment of discouragement, I found my self wondering what we’ll do now that he is gone.  Who can step into his role?  Who will stand up to lead in his place?  Who will partner with the other pastors of the church of State College to help us be the church?

Then it hit me:  God’s not worried about it.  While we may worry and think about people as being indispensable, the truth is that God’s got this.  I’m not being callous; I’m living in hope and belief that God knows what he’s doing, and that Paul’s death is not going to derail God’s plan.

So we will grieve and mourn the death of a friend and pastor, but we will not grieve as though we have no hope.  We are the people of HOPE, the people of God.  And while it hurts, and the loss is real, we will continue to learn from Pastor Paul’s life–and death–about what really matters.

Here’s his last article from the Clergy Column in the Centre Daily Times.  He writes:

So, whether I go or stay, it means little. I am neither indispensable nor in despair. I see every day as a precious gift to love and be loved. I worry little about the outcome of world affairs, because this world is not my true home.

I want to live with that kind of clarity, that kind of vision.  I want to leave the kind of legacy that Pastor Paul left for his family, and for the church.  I am grateful for the time that I got to learn from Paul, from the wisdom that he imparted, for the challenge that he put before me.  My life is better for having known him.