May 2 2018 – Click here to listen
A good friend of mine, Jack Meeks, died yesterday on his 90th birthday and went to be with the Lord.
Can you imagine a better birthday present?
Jack’s efforts in prison ministry are legendary. For decades he would trailer his NASCAR racecars all over the country, including the one Joe Gibbs drove to win Daytona, and then take them on prison yards. He would fire that thing up with its loud mufflers and it would pull hundreds of inmates over to the area where we were trying to get them to come in order to share the Gospel with them.
He always had a smile on his face and only one thing would make him happier than when the occasional correctional institution warden would allow him to hop behind the wheel and perform a few donuts on the yard in his racecar. The one thing was being able to talk to his inmate admirers about Jesus Christ.
Jack had a rough upbringing and was a criminal himself during his early life and he never forgot being behind those bars. Hebrews 13:3 was not a command he took lightly. (Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.) God dramatically changed Jack, and he promptly devoted his life to following Jesus as few ever do. He had unbridled passion for telling prisoners that they too could find hope, peace, and love in Jesus.
I’m really happy for Jack. I can only imagine how much he is enjoying the celebration of his 90 years on this planet. Though his friends and family will surely miss seeing his smiling face, we know that he is still smiling and will do so forever He is shining like the sun in God’s presence.
One day we will all come face to face with Jesus. Did you ever imagine what that will be like?
Stop right now and envision it for a moment won’t you . . .
I can picture the smile on the face of Jesus when he finally met this tireless worker who loved Him so much. Time is short and soon all material things will be no more. Don’t put so much emphasis on them – Don’t let life get away from you without doing the work that pleases God. Then you can look forward to that reunion instead of dreading it.
1 John 2:17
And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.