I’m Free. (Remembering-Lonnie Gunter)

I’m Free

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

We lost a good servant of the Lord this week. Lonnie Gunter, pastor of Genesis Full Gospel Church and founder of Canaan Land Children’s Home.

Lonnie was a friend and I had sung at his church a few times over the years and I just always enjoyed the fellowship with him because he had a passion for God’s word and a passion for others.

This life on earth no matter who you are is not without sickness, pain and sorrow and death of the body when the time comes. Lonnie Gunter was no exception but, he fought in doing Gods will till the end.

The one who wrote these words in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 knew well the struggles of life but, he also knew the end results when this life is over, when we are ushered into heaven to live with Christ forevermore.

Apostle Paul said For we know…not maybe or we hope to but, for we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

There is coming a day when we relocate ….we move from this old fleshly body of pain and sickness to one that will live forever with God. Paul says For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: You know, I never knew what it was to groan until I got older. We will know what it is to groan when we get older. The older we get the more we not only groan in this old body but, we groan to be in the new one God has prepared for us.

Most every time I read a verse of scripture that Paul wrote about death or our heavenly home I can’t help but to think what he did to make extra money in his mission work. Apostle Paul was a tent maker. He made tents along the way to raise money for his travels.

What is a tent? It’s a temporary dwelling place. What is this body of flesh? It’s a temporary dwelling place. If we tried to live in a tent and make it our primary home it will decay….it would be subject to all kinds of storms.

Same as our fleshly bodies. We are looking one day for that home that will never decay, never need repairing because it is house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

If Lonnie Gunter could speak to us today I believe he would say…no more groaning…no more pain because I’m free.

I’m Free

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free, I’m following the path God has laid you see. I took His hand when I heard him call, I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day, To laugh, to love, to work, to play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, I found that peace at the close of day. If my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, Oh yes, these things I too will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow, I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life’s been full, I savored much, Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief; Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your hearts and peace to thee, God wanted me now; He set me free. (Author unknown)

Love in Christ Jesus, Ronnie Miller www.themillersbiblestudy.com