I just returned from west Africa yesterday, and sometimes while I’m away things are quite calm back home. But other times they aren’t, and I feel very distant from those I love. Such was the case this time. During my time in Nigeria and Liberia, on Thursday September 25 at 4:44am, my dear brother, training partner, and good friend Jeremy McLellan graduated from this earthly life to his eternal dwelling in heaven with the Savior he loves. Jeremy had been battling cancer for the past few years, and just a couple days before I departed for Africa I visited with him in his home and we enjoyed a sweet time in the Word, sharing thoughts for the future, and praying together. I fully anticipated more good times together when I returned, but his condition rapidly deteriorated while I was away. It was difficult to focus on the training after hearing the news, since we are so close to his family, wife Christy and three kids Tim, Bailey, and Abi.

Jeremy and I had many points of intersection in our lives that wove our friendship and brotherhood deep and strong. We live 10 minutes apart, attend the same church, were both pastors and have a love for studying and preaching God’s Word, our kids are about the same ages, families are friends, I trained him in Pathways Bible training and we took three trips together to Africa to train pastors and he truly loved these times. In fact he told me just a month ago that he was hoping to return to Africa with me if his situation improved. We shared deeply and regularly with each other about the things of the Lord, our desire for our kids to grow strong in their faith, and our longing to be godly husbands, fathers, and men of God.

Jeremy also inspired me through his humble service to the Lord. He was happy to fulfill any role, serving in any way: leading a small group, driving me to the airport for trips, being an elder in our church, discussing sermons we were working on, working out together (although I never joined him for his regular “polar bear plunge” into ice water in his chest freezer!), praying for those who were suffering, and doing “Sword drills” with me in Scripture we memorized. But I think his favorite role was as a trainer of African pastors. He absolutely lit up when talking about our brothers and how to help them handle God’s Word well. Jeremy had a sensitive heart with tears that flowed easily when he saw those who suffer and are in need, which probably made him the great firefighter he was, but also equipped him to minister deeply to the many pastors with whom we work in Africa. He had a generous, giving heart and longed to bless our African brothers, spiritually and also physically, and was a faithful partner in our ministry.

While I know Jeremy is absolutely LOVING the eternal life he is now enjoying, worshiping face to face the Lord Jesus Christ, witnessing the fulfillment of the new life he loved to preach about, yet my heart misses him so much and hurts along with and for his sweet wife and precious kids. May God grant comfort and peace to those of us left behind through these times of grieving knowing this is not the end. In fact, in my devotional reading this morning, I was struck with how many verses from the first few chapters in 2 Corinthians offer hope and help:

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
• 3:17-18 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
• 4:14, 16-18 – “knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
• 5:1-2, 6-9 – “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, … ⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

Also while I was away Holly’s mom took a significant turn for the worse and probably will join Jeremy to be with Jesus soon, but that is for another post. To God be the glory as He brings to completion the good work He began in His children.