“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” – II Timothy 4:7-8
I’m going to take a departure from our usual studies of Bible heroes and such to introduce you to a modern-day hero of mine – my late father-in-law, J.R. Brokaw, who went home to be with the Lord on November 21, 2011. He never slew a giant, parted a sea, or walked through a fiery furnace (as far as I knew), but in his final days, he embodied the truths of Hebrews 12 and a myriad of other scriptures. And as he died, he left behind some poignant lessons on how each of us should live:
1. He accepted God’s will for his life. – Cancer is not an easy diagnosis and death is not an easy pill to swallow, but God is sovereign and He knows best. Dad walked into the emergency room with a bad back and walked out with terminal cancer, but like Job, he never turned on God. There were no complaints, no tantrums, no “poor me”, and by resigning himself to the Lord’s plan, he gave God His rightful place in his life and brought Him glory. (Genesis 50:20, Job 1:21, 13:15, Mark 14:36, Romans 8:28, I Thessalonians 5:18)
2. He forgave and sought forgiveness. - They say “you can’t take it with you”, but if you’re not careful, you can take plenty of regrets to your grave. Dad refused to do that. He actively sought out everyone that he needed to make peace with, inviting them to hospital and home to say – in love – everything that needed to be said, and graciously gave the same mercy that he received from the Lord. (Proverbs 3:3, Matthew 5:7, 6:12, Romans 12:18, Hebrews 12:14-15)
3. He witnessed to everyone he spoke to. - Dad’s message to everyone was clear, “I know where I’m going, and I want to see you there someday, too.” He went out of his way to have a “salvation conversation” with everyone who crossed his path in those last weeks, and the message was carried on by his family and his church at his memorial service. Only God knows the numbers, but I’m fairly certain that the angels had reason to rejoice. (Luke 10:2, 15:7, John 4:34-35, 9:4, Romans 1:16, Colossians 1:28, Hebrews 13:5-6)
4. He showered his family with love. - Although often tired, sick, and in pain for much of his last weeks, Dad took advantage of all the “quality time” with family that he could. Although weak, he left his bed whenever he could to sit at the dining room table surrounded by family and friends. He played with his grandsons, laughed with his sisters, and no one was left with any doubt of his love for them. He lavished us with love, and told us over and over what we meant to him. (Psalm 127:3, Luke 6:38, John 5:9-12, I John 4:7-11)
5. He worried about everyone else’s needs. - Dad had a to-do list, mostly centered around providing for my mother-in-law and easing any burdens he could for her – everything from planning his own funeral (to spare Mom from making such decisions after he passed) to enlisting his sons to clean out the garage and install new garage doors (to make sure Mom could park her car in the garage this winter). Every time I saw him, he worried that I wasn’t getting enough rest, and I marveled that he could care about our needs, at a time when his own need was so great – but that, my friends, is the love of Christ. (Proverbs 3:27, Ecclesiastes 11:6, Luke 6:38, Philippians 2:3)
6. He smiled his way through it all. - Dad was always known for his easy smile, and cancer never took it away from him. Through hospital stays, radiation treatments, and hospice, he continued to display “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding”. Many of us lose our peace over so little. Our smiles are fleeting and fragile as we allow this world to dictate our moods and attitudes, but the peace of God is not dependent on environment or circumstance. The peace of God rests in the assurance that this world is not our home. (Proverbs 17:22, Romans 8:38-39, II Corinthians 7:4, Philippians 4:6-8)
Wherever you are in life today, if you have 30 days or 30 years left on this earth, God cares far more about how you finish than how you started. As for me, when I grow up (if I ever do), I want to be like J.R. – a life well-lived, a death well-died, and a course well-finished. (Proverbs 19:20, 22:6, Philippians 3:13-14, II Timothy 2:3-4, 4:7-8)
-Greta Brokaw
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I noticed your blog on the church website as I listened to one of Pastor’s messages. (I enjoy having a sound place to go to when I am not able to go to church). I regret not sending a card when I heard of your father- in- laws passing. It hit home as we were dealing with my father- in- law’s cancer diagnosis as well for just a few months. When we heard of Mr Brokaw’s passing Mike was visiting his father in Arizona because he had become to weak to travel home and all he wanted to do was preach as long as God would allow him. His last sermon was on a Wed. night from a wheel chair and Mike got to hear him preach his last sermon. He passed away on Jan 2 of this year from lung cancer that invaded his body everywhere in so short a time. Pastor Robert Lenzi was 63 years old. I miss the wisdom he shared with me. I didn’t get to see him before he passed away.
He also took great care and preparing for his wife and family to be without him. We will be traveling to Az in March to move his mom home to be near her family. God has been so good. We have been able to purchase a house across the street for her ( she wants to be on her own). So she will be close to us if she needs anything. It was such a shock to us to hear “you have a few months”. So many emotions. My daughter was able to take her daughter to see him in Nov also. So he got one last good visit in with his first great grandchild. I don’t think he stopped smiling the whole time! We had people donate plane tickets and vacation so Mike could leave after Christmas to go be with his mom and dad in his final days. It didn’t cost us anything. He has truely provided every step of the way. He had a evanglist offer to stay for the last few months to preach for him and he had set up a missionary for every Sunday in Feb and March last year before he got sick. God had certainly planned ahead for them. Please keep Calvary Baptist of Kingman in your prayers though as they lost a pastor and a friend and will need to start the process of finding someone. Thank you for your tribute to Paul’s father and sharing his testimony. It reaches so much farther than you will ever know. My mother has been with the Lord for nearly 30 years and I still meet people she knew and they just rant and rave over who she was after all this time. She was an amazing person in Christ. Mr. Brokaw’s testimony will live on in the hearts of all that knew him and more. I am sorry for yours and Paul’s loss though. It certainly does leave an empty space. I am praying that God has filled it for you though as time goes on. I do hope all is going well with you and your family. Thank your Pastor for me, his sermons are an enjoyment to me when I am sick and not able to go to church. God Bless you all.