Funeral Todd Branscum

I. A Life Lived

When we look over our lives we often will see both times of triumph and disappointment, times of laughter and times of sorrow, times of receiving and times of loss. In the book Ecclesiastes the Preacher shares this sentiment with us. Those who knows Todd best could reflect on many, many such memories. I only had the pleasure of knowing Todd a short amount of time but it was time enjoyed. I can remember the first time I met Todd was at a Thursday morning Bible study. After we were finished he approached me to introduce himself. I had already been told to be on the lookout for him from some of my church members that knew him. We sat and talked for a short period of time and began a relationship of that quickly turned into a friendship. As the weeks went on I would find myself walking with Todd and just listening to him talk about his life. He shared with me about his family and most importantly his faith. When the weeks turned into months I began pouring into him as a fellow minister of the Gospel. He would sit and listen then ask questions about how best to deal with different struggles he had going on. I remember how one day I told my wife “I see a lot of myself in Todd”. He had a fire about him that at sometimes seemed scattered but hey I would be lying if I said the same hasn’t been said about myself. The joy that Todd had when he witnessed God move in the guys around him was all to familiar. I believed that I would get to watch him grow in ministry and get to be an encourager as he ran in what God had in store for his life. I was completely shocked last Sunday morning like everyone else. I had just gotten to church and was taking care of all the different responsibilities to prepare for service. When Somer told me what had happened through her tears I can remember thinking it couldn’t be right. As I look back at how sudden this all happened my spirit keeps reminding me that the Lord wasn’t shocked or caught off guard. He works through sovereignty and grace. It is His all knowing sovereignty that brings us to today and His magnificent grace that will help us through days like today. In the scriptures we see this play out in the life of King David.

2 Samuel 12:16–23 NKJV

16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!” 19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” 20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22 And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

We see the sovereign nature of the Almighty and the hope of His grace through the eyes of King David. We all know how much Todd loved the Lord and we all can know how much the Lord loved Todd. In Romans chapter 8 Paul tells us that nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is held in Christ Jesus. The events of last Sunday morning might have changed a lot in our lives but the important things remain the same. God is every bit as much all knowing as He is all loving. That is a reality that we must all contend with. Love you brother and we shall meet again.