Lillie Mae Scales Fontaine went through an open door on
Easter Sunday morning. I cannot imagine a better time to
die than that day, can you? Just imagine – on the very
day when much of the Christian world is focused on an
empty tomb and on the promise of life everlasting, Lillie
Fontaine personally saw that bright promise fulfilling.
How glorious it would be to go through that open door on
the anniversary of that day when the gates of death itself
were crashed! I think of it as a special gift the Lord gave
her, as if He had not already given enough.
Our Jewish friends, at the same time we were celebrating
Holy Week and Easter, were celebrating Passover.
Passover commemorates the gift of freedom for Israel.
God brought them out of Egypt and slavery with a mighty
hand and an outstretched arm. And not only did God
deliver them from slavery, He did more: He overthrew
Pharaoh and his army in the waters of the sea. Liberty
would have been enough; but God did more. And more
again: not only did God deliver the people from slavery,
and not only did He overthrow Pharaoh and his army, but
also God gave the people manna and quail for food. It
would have been enough to have had liberty and the
defeat of the enemy, but God did more.
And so when the Jews today celebrate Passover, there is
a song they sing called “Dayenu”. When you sing
“Dayenu”, you sing, “It would have been enough …”. You
tell of all the wonderful things, gift upon gift, that God
gave His people, and then you follow each of those gifts
with the phrase, “Dayenu”, “it would have been enough”.
But there is always more.
May I suggest this afternoon that for Lillie Fontaine,
“dayenu”, it would have been enough that God give her
long life, well beyond the normative threescore and ten.
But God gave more. God gave her not only long
life, but a rich and full life as well. “Dayenu”, it would
have been enough, but God gave more.
It would have been enough that God give Lillie a loving
husband and a lovely child or two. But God gave her
more – nine children and many grandchildren. “Dayenu”,
it would have been enough, but God gave more.
It would have been enough that God give her a large and
loving family. But God gave her more – children who are
accomplished and grandchildren who are making their
marks in the world, truly a distinguished tribe! “Dayenu”,
it would have been enough, but God gave more.
It would have been enough that God give her a home and
a place in the community and respect in the
neighborhood. But God gave her more – families and
children for whom she cared and whom she helped to
shape. “Dayenu”, it would have been enough, but God
gave more.
It would have been enough that God put her into a small
church to help it grow and thrive. But God gave her more
– putting her and her family into a series of small and
struggling congregations to help them through their
growing pains. “Dayenu”, it would have been enough, but
God gave more.
It would have been enough that God send her around the
corner in her senior years to this fellowship for worship.
But God gave her more – the warm embrace of the
Pearce Martha Class and its tradition of careful and
evangelical Bible study. “Dayenu”, it would have been
enough, but God gave more.
It would have been enough that God heal her from a
severe stroke just a few years back. But God gave her
more – an exceptionally rapid progress through physical
therapy and a broad smile on her face as she walked out
of the rehabilitation hospital. “Dayenu”, it would have
been enough, but God gave more.
It would have been enough for her and Scott to have had
their familiar home here on Piney Branch Road, with
family supporting them. But God gave more and put
them on Panorama Drive in Oxon Hill, with extra love and
superb care. “Dayenu”, it would have been enough, but
God gave more.
It would have been enough for her to have died in peace
among her family. But God gave more, and sent friends
from this church during those last days, so that she and
her family might be assured that they were not forgotten,
but were treasured. “Dayenu”, it would have been
enough, but God gave more.
It would have been enough for her to have been told, one
more time, that God so loved the world that He gave His
only-begotten Son, that whoso believeth on Him should
not perish but have ever-lasting life. But God gave more,
and allowed His word to seep into her heart and her mind
with no disturbance, no perceptible pain, simply a gentle
peace. “Dayenu”, it would have been enough, but God
gave more.
It would have been enough for her to enter eternity and
find the rest prepared for her by her savior’s love. But
God gave more, and brought her home on Easter Day,
that day above all others given over to the joy we know
because we have a living savior who’s in the world today.
“Dayenu”, it would have been enough, but God gave
more, and we will now forever treasure our own Easter
Lillie.
