The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 2:4-7, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you

have been saved),

6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,

7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness

toward us in Christ Jesus.”

One of the magnificent provisions of retirement (and old age) is the opportunity to scan retrospectfully the many previous years of life and rejoice over the LORD’s multitude of undeserved blessings. Many of those days were filled with joy; many were clouded with misery. Yet, the ability to live and have opportunity to recount those days, hearty and hurtful, is itself a blessing.

It is by our LORD’s grace that we have lived and served in His ministry to humanity. It is by His mercy

that He has seen us faithfully through the rigors of those days. Belittled at times, ignored at others, He

has ever and always undergirded us with His grace and mercy.

Yet, with all that calls for our rejoicing, the best is yet to come! He has “raised us up” with Christ Jesus

and reserved each of us a seat with Him in the Heavenlies! He will then reveal to us the things of which we have no knowledge or thoughts whatsoever! Perhaps He means that it will take ages for us to learn

all that occurred and ages more for us to comprehend the expansive heights and depths of His love and protection.

Will we then be allowed to know those inward, hateful thoughts that conspired against our efforts? Will we then understand the deep-seated motives of those who opposed us at every turn? Possibly. Yet, our concentration will focus on the riches of His grace and mercy! There is no one like the LORD! He is ours, and we are His forever!

Will you be in His group? I so trust that you will! “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me” (Heb. 3:15).

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom