Pamela Bryant

Pamela

Christopher and family, I want to express my sincere condolences as you grieve and experience this time of heartache.

I met Pamela, my first Sabbath at Raleigh church. I was introduced through my daughter Elizabeth who was quick to make her presence known in the pews of this Sanctuary. Pamela and Christopher happened to be seatmates with my family that Sabbath. As we were joining the fellowship here. I saw Christopher and Pamela and assumed they were longtime members here. But the truth is they had been away from the church for a little while and were just making a return as well.

Do you want to know what my impression of Pamela was, well Christopher also ;-). Incredibly nice. I thought to myself, what a lovely couple. And I’ll be honest when people are friendly to my little girl, I am going to think very highly of that person. As I learn more and more about Pamela from those closest to her, everyone says the same thing. Pamela is so nice, she is so sweet, she is so warm and friendly.

My friends if today was your last day on Earth, wouldn’t you want to be remembered the way Pamela is remembered? As a warm lovely person?

It’s almost counter-cultural in todays world isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong there still exist plenty of friendly people in the world but not always. There is so much in the world that devil seeks to very hard to divide us in. In politics, differences in culture, generational gaps. Pamela exuded a quality that was absolutely Christlike. She loved. She loved without conditions. She was friendly indiscriminately. We need more people like Pamela in this world.

Christopher and family. As this is a time for grieving, please do not feel guilt when smiling and laughing as you remember the fond memories of Pamela. Those feeling may inevitably shift back to tears and even anger. This is the grieving process we as humans experience while there is still sin festering on this planet. Take heart my friends.

Psalm 34:18 ESV

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Last year in May many in this church were gathered for a memorial service such as this one for our dear brother Elroy Allen. I was with his family in the hospital as his wife Collette broke the news to her boys that their father would not be waking up. She reminded her boys of the gift they had been given with the time they had their father with them. It didn’t negate their grief but it certainly brought perspective, that life is a gift from God.

Psalm 73:26 ESV

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

With this tragedy that has happened, would you like some good news, and I hope some added perspective.

As we grieve, lets remember it is her family and friends, who are hurting most. They hurt because they continue to walk this sinful world without Pamela. But the next thing Pamela will see will be Jesus, and be joined by her family in a restored body. In her peak health, and peak spirit, no longer riddled by cancer.

cling to the promises.

John 14:1–3 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

if combine this passage with Paul’s writing to the believers Thessalonica, I believe we can remember a joyful hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

My friends we have hope. We have hope in Jesus. We serve a God who is the great judge filled with mercy and grace. The Bible tells us the wages of sin is death. This is something we are all deserving of but the precious gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. I don’t know what sin you are guilty of here. All I know is we are all guilty. And yet Jesus is ready to offer forgiveness to those who would come seeking.

Jesus was the only one to walk this planet feeling the temptations of sin upon the human race and was able to overcome sinful temptation. He was the one worthy. The innocent lamb of God sacrificed so that we could even have the opportunity to claim a free gift of salvation.

My friends if you know anything about Pamela, you know that she loved the Lord and desired all of her loved ones to know Jesus as well. I didn’t know it at the time but her last Sabbath worshipping here. She let out a loud praise before the Lord. You could say she was overcome by the Holy Spirit. I was on the other side of the sanctuary listening to someone else preach but i heard the voice and it stood out to me. I learned later, that was Pamela.

Is there someone here who is feeling the prompting of the Holy Spirit to praise Jesus? Is there someone here needing give their life to Jesus. Don’t wait another day.

My friends the day is coming near. Pamela will not be asleep for Long! Jesus is coming again!