Oh McGaha!

Romans 3:23 NASB95

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

About that verse Mike would say, “Brother, you don’t know the half of it!”

I admit that’s an odd place to start a eulogy, so allow me to explain.

The Good News of Jesus the Christ, that He died for our sins and was raised on the 3rd day, becomes more incredible in full view of the plight we were in without Christ.

Romans 5:8 NASB95

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Similarly, Mikes incredible life and his awesome nature become even more remarkable in view of the pain that Mike endured in this life.

Mike would call me on a regular basis to pray about things going on in his life. If he had a particularly rough day, he would call to pray that God would protect him from taking a bad day home to a good wife. One of the things he often shared was the pain he experienced daily.

Physical

Mike knew the physical pain of a broken body. Enduring pain that robs you of your concentration, that demands attention, and steals your ability to do the things you love to do. Mike had multiple neck and back surgeries, as well as surgeries on his hands.

Mike was a craftsman. With his hands he created art, weather it be with a tattoo gun or a wood working tool. The pain in his hands was bit by bit taking away his ability to do the things that he loved. It was, in his mind, taking away part of what made him Mike McGaha.

Pain of Regret

Mike knew the pain of regret. When you suffer the consequences of your own bad choices, you grow and learn from your mistakes. When people that you love suffer the consequences for your mistakes, it causes a terrible sense of regret, and Mike knew that pain. Part of the reason he loved working with at risk youth, was the hope that he could keep them from making some of the same mistakes he made and thus avoiding feeling the pain of regret that he had to endure and overcome.

Pain of Loss

Mike knew the pain of deep loss. Quite frankly, it is a pain that we are all to familiar with today as we have to endure our loss.

Mike lost his mother, who was an ever-present anchor in his life. His momma loved him and he loved her.

He endured the loss of his mentor, Don Liggett. Don reached down and helped Mike up when he fell and showed him how to help others. In losing Don, Mike not only felt the loss, but also the responsibility to cary on Don’s work of helping others.

By far the most painful loss was that of his best friend Erik. In losing Erik, he not only felt the loss, but also carried the guilt of feeling like he should have been there for him. It was a loss that shook him to his foundation, and one, truthfully that he was not over.

Pain of Rejection

Finally, Mike knew the pain of rejection. It forever hung around his neck like a weight and created a sadness that never fully departed from him. Remarkably, Mike did his best to move past it and even forgave the people that rejected him, but in his words, “That don’t mean it don’t still hurt, Bubba.

The result

The natural result of enduring the kinds of pain that Mike knew is this: It make you angry, bitter, withdrawn, and unloving. But is that described Mike, most of you wouldn’t be here.

Goofy

Mike was goofy. I can see him walking from that gas station to his bike strutting like a peacock, not caring who saw him and all you can do is laugh. Or hanging our with him and Tracy where he was cutting up and Tracy snorting while she laughed at him, and al she could say was, “Michael!”

Everyone of you has your stories of Mike being a clown.

Mike was a founding member of Iron Rider of Christ Motorcycle Ministry. His only disappointment was that when we were coming with a name for the ministry, we didn’t seriously consider his suggestion, “Devil Slayers.” Part of the reason it was not seriously considered, was because Mike could never say it with a straight face. There was alway a smile, squat and hand gesture.

Outgoing

Saying that someone “never met a stranger” gets thrown but it truly applied to Mike. He made people he just met feel like old friend and friends like family. If you were with him and in a hurry, forget it. You were going to be late, because he would strike up a conversation with the guy at a gas station, the waitress at a restaurant, or the homeless guy on the corner. he wasn’t just outgoing with strangers. How many of you got a call from Mike, “Just checking on you, Brother!”

Loving

Mike was loving. First and foremost, He loved Tracy! She was his queen. She was his person! Perfect marriages are a fairytale, but real marriages, successful marriages are a demonstration of sacrificial love toward their spouse. Mike and Tracy loved each other sacrificially.

Mike loved you. And you know who I’m talking to because If Mike loved you, he told you. I think Mike told me he loved me more than any other man I know, apart from my son. And he absolutely meant it. If you needed something, anything, and he could do it for you, he would. He was the type of person that rooted for you to succeed; and he was proud for you when you did. Genuine love.

Mike loved my son. As a father, when someone loves and pours into your kids, like Mike did into mine, there is a debt incurred that I could never repay and for which I will forever be grateful.

Mike loved people. Weather it be tending to the needs of the homeless, or pouring out God’s love on the kids a the children’s home in Bono, Mike loved people and wanted good for them. Mike sacrificially gave of his time, treasure and talent for the benefit of those that were in need. That IS love.

Reconciliation

So how do you reconcile the remarkable man that Mike was with the life of pain that should have made him bitter and unkind?

Mike knew the Lord. I’m not talking about some religion, Mike had a relationship with his Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. He was saved by grace through faith in God the Father through God the Son.

Two of the most powerful words in all the Bible are these, “But God”

Ephesians 2:4–5 NASB95

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

The only way to celebrate Mike’s life in truth is to also celebrate what God did for him and through him.

Mike’s Prayer

On Wednesday before Mike passed he and Tracy came to Bible Study at Freedom Biker Church. At the end of the study we always give people to opportunity to ask for prayer. Sometime it’s a sick friend, or someone struggling with a particular situation. Mike’s prayer request was this: He asked that we pray for people to be more attentive to one another. That if someone comes to mind, we would call them and check on them. If they heard about a friend going through stuff, we would go an visit them. Basically that we would love one another as we love ourselves. The beauty of this powerful, but simple prayer request, is that he lived it.

If you want to honor Mike, immolate him in this way. Love, care and lookout for one another. Check one each other and don’t be afraid to call on one another and tell them, I need some help.

Closing

The pain Mike felt in this world is gone. He is in the presence of our Lord.

Revelation 21:4 NASB95

4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

I will end with this: Mike and I didn’t agree on everything. But, one of the things we agreed on was that The Shawshank Redemption was one of the best movies every made.

Toward the end of the move, Red, played by Morgan Freeman monologues about Andy have Andy has escaped from prison with these words.

“Those of us who knew him best talk about him often. I swear, the stuff he pulled... Sometimes it makes me sad, though, Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright and when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice, but still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty now that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend.”

Prayer