Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints......
If I close my eyes, I can still see him coming through the doors of the church.
Easy smile...
Easy gait......
Loose...taking life one moment at a time.
He would be carrying his saxaphone case....
We'd chat while he was taking his sax out....
Asking how he was...he would reply..."Nothing to complain about...life is good".
So it was with one Mr. Jimmy McNabb.
Never complained.....was always grateful for whatever the day held.
I received word Saturday evening that Jimmy had died.
Funny thing about death.....
When you receive the news about a passing, it leaves an empty place in the pit of your stomach. As a believer, you know the event should be a celebration. I mean, come on! Shaking off this world to be with Jesus.
Heaven.....
The Presence of God....
Finding out the truth about everything you believed while here on earth.
But there is still that empty place inside.
I was very empty Saturday night.
Jimmy was a unique individual. To look at him, you'd think he never had a problem a day in his life. But, as it is with all men and women, there was a dark side. A season and time in Jimmy's life where he was trapped in addiction. Jimmy was successful on so many levels, but like all addiction...it was an equal opportunity destroyer. He lost everything. Making the trek from Los Angeles, Jimmy wound up at his mother's house in Troy, Alabama looking for help. She drove him to Rapha and Jimmy entered the program. Jimmy made the most of his "Second Chance."
At the time of his death, Jimmy was working on his PhD., after completing undergraduate and graduate school.
You can't help but think of a sax when Jimmy comes to your mind.
He would join us in worship and play like nobodies business.
Jimmy would play "Amazing Grace" and bring the house down.
I have seen men and women weeping as Jimmy played.
Jimmy played to an audience of one....God.
I received a call back in summer from Jimmy that he was going to be in town and wanted to see me.
He came by the church, and like all true friends, we took right up where we'd left off as though no time had passed at all. Jimmy told me that he'd been diagnosed with Leukemia and the outlook wasn't good. Then, as only Jimmy could, his face lit up and he laughed.."But you know Mike, those doctor's don't know everything, do they?" He wasn't trying to put on some kind of pie-in-the-sky routine. He was simply stating that God had the final say in his life. He asked me pray....I did. We hugged and he told me how much he appreciated me letting him play whenever he visited. That was the last I saw of Jimmy McNabb.
As we journey through this life, God allows people to pass through our lives that touch us and make us better. I am grateful that I encountered one Mr. Jimmy McNabb. I pray peace and comfort over his family. I can't wait until I join him and play "Amazing Grace" one more time.
God on you...
mb
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