The Christian Race

July 11th, 2003

To the family, to all friends and love ones, we at The First Church of God in

Harvey grieve with you in the passing of one whom we all dearly love, in the person

of Bro. Rodney Casimere. Even though we all love Bro. Casimere, there is someone

who loves him more, and because of this love, when Bro. Casimere heard his name

being called last Saturday morning by his friend, he had to answer the call. Bro.

Casimere had no time to say good-bye to his daughter Allison or to his son-in law

Rhay, because they were both in Jamaica. He had no time to say good-bye to his

brother, Bro. Shedrick Casimere. He had no time to say good-bye to his many

friends, because when God calls your name, you have to answer. Bro. Casimere was

able to call his nephew William, and shortly after, answered the Lord’s call, and left

this world of trouble and sorrow to be with his Lord.......elaborate...Bro. Casimere is

absent from the body, but he is present with the Lord......

It was about 8:30 last Saturday morning that I received the call that Bro. Casimere

had passed away. I was a bit surprised when I heard the news, but came to realize

that each of us one day will have to leave this world.............elaborate......each of us

one day will have to stand before God for ourselves......

Bro. Casimere was a very soft spoken man who loves sports, and everytime I visited

him he would be watching foot-ball or baseball, or some other sports, or listening to

the news.

When my son played foot-ball for Northwestern, Bro. Casimere and I would talk

about Northwestern foot-ball team, and we would later talked about UPenn where

my other son currently plays foot-ball. Bro. Casimere enjoyed talking about current

events, but did not like to discuss too much politics.............elaborate........he was a

good listener, he would listen and say what he had to say............

Bro. Casimere was a member of our church, but because of illness was not involved

as he would like to have been. He started this Christian race about 5 years ago, and

ran until time for him, was no more. All of us here today are in a race, and how we

run the race will determine where we go at the end of the race.

I would like to speak for a few minutes on the to-pic, The Christian Race. In

Hebrews 12 verses 1 and 2 we read these words. Where-fore seeing we also are com-

passed about with a great cloud of wit-ness-es, let us lay aside every weight, and the

sin whih doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set

before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith. In our text,

the Christian is represented as a runner competing for the prize. The runner may

not run anywhere, but must pursue the course marked out for him. Beginning at the

starting point he must pursue the definite course until he reach the goal. In this

Christian race we all do not start at the same time, some might start when they are

young, some when they are older, but everyone should have the same desire of

completing the race. Bro. Casimere ran, and completed his race on July 5th, 2003.

In this Christian life the race is set before us and it is marked out by the Word of

God by the examples of the faithful servants of God who have finished their course,

and is that cloud of witnesses with which they are compassed about.

In order to run this race successful there are certain things we must do, we must lay

aside every weight, cast off everything that would hinder us running this race. We

must lay aside every sin which doth so easily beset us, and run the race with

patience and perseverance. There will be need of patience to encounter the

difficulties that lie in our way, and perseverance until the goal is reached. I believe

as Bro. Casimere was running his race, he might have got a bit impatient along the

way; he might have wondered why do I have to go through all this. He might have

wondered why do I have to suffer so much. He might have wondered how long will

this last. I believe the witnesses in the grand stand of glory were watching Bro.

Casimere as he was running this race. I believe they were encouraging him. I believe

they were saying to him don’t stop brother just keep on running. Don’t give up now,

the finisher line is almost in view. On Saturday morning, July 5th, Bro. Casimere

saw the finish line, and he ran until he came to the end of his journey.......elaborate