Why Ila's Love?

I have a brief amount of time today to eulogize my grandmother, Ila Love Pellegra. Its a simple task because the truth about her life as a human being provides myriads of ways to speak well of her. But it is a difficult task all the same. I could share all these amazing ways she parented her 5 children, grand-parented her 10 grandchildren, and great-grand-parented her 19 grandchildren. I could dote over the care she gave my grandfather, Harry. Stories take too long and my time is brief. Instead, let me encapsulate her life the best I can with something she treasured…the word of God.

Philippians 2:3–5 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

This verse sums up my grandmother and the impact she had upon this earth. She cared for each one of us in such an abundant and sacrificial way, that she literally loved all of us more than she loved her self. Thoughtful cards, gifts, phone calls, letters, and most importantly, the unimaginable gift of her prayers to the Father on our behalf.

Let me tell you why she was so kind, so loving, and so giving of herself for others. Her love, Ila’s love, was an overflow of her love for her Savior, Jesus Christ. She understood the sacrifice that He had for her on the cross. She was not perfect. She didn’t deserve his love, like none of us deserve it. But she understood the grace of Christ that was provided by his sacrificial death and resurrection. She understood Romans 5:8, which says “yet while we were his enemies, Christ died for us.”

Therefore, to understand her, to summarize her life, is to think of Jesus. This is why I share this verse with you. She willingly gave of her self time and time again because she had a mind like Christ. She extended grace instead of wrath. She was patient instead of short. She was didn’t count a record of wrongs done to her because she knew that Jesus paid the penalty for her large ledger of sins.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (ESV)

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

So then, as your remember Ila and her love, think of Jesus and understand why she loved. Because when you understand the work of Jesus Christ and you surrender your life to his reign over your life, He will do such a transforming work in you that you will love as He loved the world, and as she loved you and I.

Remember also that the love of Christ displays love and gives hope. That hope comes from the love that Christ demonstrated when laying down his life for sinners and he raised that life up from the dead. So as a family we grieve the absence of her presence. We grieve when we miss her infectious laugh, her funny and sometimes untimely jokes, and her overwhelming support her family. But we grieve with joy in our hearts and hope in our minds that she lives eternally with Jesus.

So the tears we shed are tears of grief not remorse. We now look forward to seeing her again instead of regretting the lost time on this earth. As a follower of Jesus, knowing the power of Christ who was raised up from the grave, I can look at my friends and family who also have trusted in Christ and at their death, I can know and think, “I will see you soon.”

I hope and pray as you remember Ila, as you treasure her love, I hope that you know her Lord, that you understand our hope so that you too, through a relationship with him, might one day rest with Jesus in heaven because it is there that you will see her, my Nanny, sitting at his feet, worshipping him as He sits on the throne.

Let me close by sharing a verse and chorus from my favorite hymn, And Can it Be by Charles Wesley. The fifth verse summarizes a person’s life who trusts in Christ for the salvation of their soul. I know this describes the life of Ila Love Pellegra today:

No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him is mine! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me!

On behalf of the family, thank you for your love, prayers and support during this time. Your presence here today is much appreciated.