In t My first experience with death of an immediate family member was when my sister called one evening to tell me her son was killed in a car accident. Chad was 15. I was in shock as she told me about the accident. I remember, after hanging up the phone, the announcement set in emotionally for me. I began to sob and weep for the loss of my nephew Chad. I just could not believe he was gone from this earth. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult this had to be for Chads parents and sister. Chad had an older sister Lisa and they were very close growing and still were to that day. Chads parents were divorced then and I believe he spent time with both as they still lived in the same town then.
For me, I live up to the saying “like father, like son”. My dad fished all the time and taught me how to fish growing up. Living on the coast of Texas we fished all the time and we were pretty good at it if I may say so myself. Chads father, David, was an avid fisherman as well. In fact, he and I and my dad fished together a lot over the years. David took me fishing all the time and taught me even more about fishing. He took Chad fishing a lot too and I am sure taught him the ins and outs of fishing. I would say that Chad was “like father, like son”.
Chad was 15 when the accident happened. As it was told, he and a friend were actually going fishing one day and the friend was driving a jeep. After fishing for a while and leaving, the friend starting driving a little crazy just having some fun doing donuts in the jeep on a gravel area. He lost control over the jeep and it flipped, throwing Chad out of the jeep and landing on him. Chad was not wearing a seat belt at the time. All in fun, but ended in tragedy that day going fishing.
One of the questions I asked about Chad was if he had ever made a profession of faith. Was he a Christian? It turns out Chad was involved with the youth group at his church and a few weeks before the accident Chad gave his life to Christ and was going to be baptized. What an incredible testimony that it is never too late to trust in Jesus Christ. Someone had told Chad about Christ and his love for him and asked him to make a life decision to submit to Jesus and trust Him for hope. At some point in those weeks before the accident, Chad bowed and prayed to receive Christ and become a believer. It is never too late!
During the funeral I was amazed at the crowd. The church was a good size church and the sanctuary was packed with students and families. Chad was very popular at school and at church. He was handsome and a sharp dresser and had an outgoing personality that everyone loved to be around. It was a very emotional time for everyone and by the end, I was an emotional wreck. Seeing a family member being buried was a new experience for me and it was rough. My only comfort was knowing the story of Chad giving his life to Christ, in the nick of time. What if he had waited or told the person sharing Christ with him no. What if he had just waited a few weeks to make that life decision?
In the nick of time Chad became a believer and is now with Christ in heaven celebrating his eternal life. What about you! Are you putting off a decision to trust Jesus? There are only two ways to live; with Christ or without Christ as the Lord of your life. Maybe no one has ever shared you the way. There are many scriptures that lead us to Christ. Consider these if you have never trusted Christ. Romans 3:23 – all have sinned, even you and I. Romans 6:23 – the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life. Romans 5:8 – while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 10:9-10 – Confess with your mount and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and you will be saved. John 3:16 – for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him, will not perish but have life everlasting.