My Memories of Joseph Lee 大哥

Months ago, I watched a Japanese movie entitled 'Departure'. It was a good reflective movie about death particularly. I liked that word 'Departure' and I told myself - I would like to use this word, 'Departure' for the next funeral that I am conducting. Don't get me wrong. I always believe it is an honour for me to send someone Home. And it is a glorious moment for someone who knows and love the Lord to be home.

Joseph Lee, whom we dearly called him as 大哥 had gone home on 22nd Nov 09. 大哥 is one person that had left many footprints in many hearts. I remembered I used this verse on 2 Tim 4:6 "The time had come for my departure." he left home with assurance and confidence, knowing where HOME is.

Cancer came silently and aggressively to steal away Joseph's health. His body weakened from day to day. He soon lost his physical strength, his appetite, his hair and his ability to move around and his love to cook. There were other things that this disease stole from Joseph in his final months of his life. But there are 3 things I see that couldn't be stolen from this man. His faith, his hope and his love.

Joseph's illness couldn't steal away his faith. He knew that nothing can separate him from the love of God. More than anything else, without a living and true relationship with his Saviour, there is no hope of heaven and eternal life. He believe that the Lord came to take the sin of the world including his. He believe in the great promise of John 3:16. Joseph's life revolved around this promise and he was never in a place of doubt that his God is faithful. In my last visit to his place, he told me this, "Lili, I have Jesus in my heart. I believe He will walk with me till the end of my last breath here. 莉莉, 我心中有耶稣, 我有信心耶稣会陪我走完我这一生” . Joseph committed his life to Jesus till the end of his days.

Joseph's illness couldn't steal away his hope. I used to say this, "The scariest thing on earth is not death, but hopelessness. 人生最可怕的, 不是死亡, 而是绝望. " For the suffering and the sick, the most difficult and challenging thing to do is to uphold Hope. However, for a believer in Christ and for those who have faith, hope is the promise of things to come.

While Joseph was suffering from cancer, there was hope in his life. The belief in a promise of something greater. Joseph knew the assurance of eternal life in heaven. He knew that there was a day coming when he would be ushered into the presence of God and He would take him into his new home. We take comfort knowing that Joseph’s hope was not in vain. God has fulfilled His promise in his life and he had received his commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Joseph's illness couldn't steal away his love. 大哥 is a man of love. He loved the Lord, he loved his family members, his friends, his church and the lost. I hope you can hear those many stories his brothers shared about him. How he brought someone to Christ simply by a continual act of kindness. How he laid food on the dinner table as an expression of his love. How he had taken delight, knowing that people enjoyed his food. He used this special gifting to serve God in the community. In his wake, I had heard too many 'love stories of 大哥'.

As I wrote this tonight, I cherished many great and wonderful memories of 大哥. "Thank you 大哥 for teaching us to love.
* You taught me to love God despite in the seasons of pain and suffering.
* You taught me to love through simple ways, as simple as cooking a simple meal for your love ones.
* You taught me to love God and seeing the importance of sharing that love with the lost
* You taught me to love life by living life to the fullest, never allow any external circumstances to change that essence of love.

You taught me how to be a devoted follower of Jesus and fight a good fight of faith. Perserve in hope and labour in love.

I will miss you 大哥, the love of God will allow us to meet again one day.