Memorial for Art Havinga

Dear family and friends, as a pastor, I have the privilege of getting to know many people. Inevitably, I come to know people later in their lives, but there are some, that you just wish you could have known longer, or known them when they were younger.

Art was such a man. I would have loved to have known him longer, known him when he was a younger man, participating in church services, singing, singing in the men’s choir, participating in Bible Studies. Art was a very quiet, content man. Well, mostly content, he felt some discontent when he didn’t think his remote control batteries were fresh enough, and well, that’s understandable, right?

Art had a quiet confidence in the Lord. He was not a flashy saint. Alberta was, and maybe that’s why he could be less so. And yet, his faith was solid, it radiated out of him, you could sense the presence of Christ, just by sitting near him. Art didn’t speak a lot, but when he did, what he said was worth listening and understanding.

You see, the Lord was indeed Art’s light and salvation. The Lord led Art forward in life. He lit the pathway he ought to go, where to work, what to do, how to provide for wife and children, how to support the church family, how to bless those around him. He was unpretentious, kind, a humble servant. He trusted the Lord to lead him.

The Lord was his salvation. Art didn’t need to prove himself before the Lord. No one can. No one can earn God’s favour. It is given freely. Art understood this and received the Lord’s salvation, he received the Lord. And for that, he feared no one, or nothing. Art lived in the Lord, the Lord protected hm, carried him, and surrounded him. Art feared no one and nothing.

This Psalm was written by King David, a very long time ago, and yet it remains perfectly relevant. David faced physical as well as spiritual foes. David faced many unique circumstances—it’s not everyday that someone tries to kill you, but that’s exactly what happened to him on several occasions, and by King Saul no less!

He faced difficulties in relationships, in trusting God, in is physical health, in his life. Even though he was a king, even though God used him to slay the giant Goliath, David was very much like you and me. He walked with the Lord. He spoke truth to his doubts, and he consistently gave his life to the Lord. And yet he was real and frank with the situations he faced in his life, and they are recorded for us in the Psalms.

When David talks about evildoers it is possible that he is referring to more than people in our lives. Sometimes they are. The foe Art faced was illness. I remember conversations with Elza where she said she wasn’t sure who would go first, her dad or her mom. The Lord, in his wisdom, took Alberta home first. But since she has been gone, life just hasn’t been the same for Art.

Though there was disease that attacked him, though infections affected him, though COVID prevented him from being with family and friends, disease didn’t win. He powered back from infection after infection. Even when things were stacked up against him, he didn’t waver, he didn’t fear, he was confident in the Lord and His salvation. When you are wrapped in Jesus’ arms, who or what can harm you?

Psalm 27:4 captures the heart of a Christian—the desire to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Now, there’s a couple things we need to know. The house of the Lord refers to the place where the Lord dwells. It is his heavenly kingdom. But God also had a representative dwelling, a model dwelling, a model house. This was first the tabernacle, then the temple in Jerusalem.

But because of our sinful state, we were unable to enter into the most holy place. Only the High priest was allowed, and only once per year. God’s holiness required an atoning sacrifice in order to restore a close relationship.

God gave himself to be that atoning sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, fully paid for all our sins on the cross. He is the way to everlasting life. All we must do, as Art did, is trust him, that he’s already done this for us.

And the reality is this. For all who believe, the Lord’s house is our dwelling place. It is not a tabernacle, it is not the temple, it is not even a church building. The Lord’s house is where the Lord is, and our dwelling will be there in the new heaven and the new earth.

Art is now in that dwelling place. He is there, gazing on the beauty of the Lord. He is there together with Alberta, and all those who have gone before.

In a very real way, Art lived in the shelter of the Lord his whole life, through the difficult days of trouble. The Lord covered him, as a tent covers and protects the inhabitants from the elements. Whatever element, enemy, or force comes against us, God protects us.

Yes, it is true that the consequences of original sin catch us all up, we will all walk through the valley of the shadow of death—indeed, we are walking in that valley even now. But for those who believe, death is not the end. Death is merely the doorway to real life.

And now, Art’s head is lifted up, above all the enemies, and in the Lord’s true house, he is offering sacrifices with shouts of joy; he is singing and making melody to the Lord. He is together again with his beloved wife, Alberta, awaiting the day we will go to be with them and Jesus.

Our greatest treasure is Christ, and His body, the church. Let us not waste our time here, let us spend our days building gracious, loving, relationships with one another.

We grieve and mourn our loss. But we rejoice and celebrate Art’s gain. For one another, we attend to each other’s grief, and we put our hope in Jesus. Amen.