FUNERAL MESSAGE FOR MARY LUCILLE DEWEBER PRUET
Martin's Funeral Home Chapel, Elk City, OK 11.03.11
By Ed Wrather
INTRO: I've known for sometime that this day was coming, and that I would be expected to preach the funeral message for my Mother-in-law. Whenever I have thought about this over the past several months, the word that God has brought to my mind has been, the word, "faithful". Lucille has been faithful throughout her life.
Here are some definitions from the dictionary of the word faithful:
Being strict or thorough in the performance of duty
Being true to one's word, promises, vows
Being steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant
Being reliable, trusted, or believed
Adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate
Those definitions are a description of Lucille's character and life.
What the Bible says about Daniel of the Old Testament, you could say about Lucille. So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him (Daniel 6:4). What God said about Moses, He is faithful in all My house (Numbers 12:7b). What God said about Moses can be said about Lucille, she was faithful in all that she did. Leon (Lucille's husband) served as a Deacon for many years, and the Bible says in 1 Timothy 3 that a Deacon's wife should be "faithful in all things." I think we can say that Lucille has been faithful in all things.
I. Lucille was saved, came to know Jesus as her personal Savior when she was 16 years old. She was saved at a revival at the Victory Church which was over by Sayre, Oklahoma and baptized in a pond. When Leon and Lucille began dating, Leon had not yet been saved but was soon attending church with her, and before they were married Leon too had come to know Jesus as his personal Savior.
I have no doubt that it was in large part due to the faithful witness, and manner of life lived by Lucille, that Leon came to know Jesus. Leon was saved out in a field by himself, where he prayed to receive Christ.
The description of the virtuous wife found in Proverbs 31 accurately describes the faithfulness of Lucille:
10 Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 " Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all."
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates. -Proverbs 31:10-31 NKJV.
Lucille was faithful to her husband, faithful to her family - She was there to help Leon when he needed her help. She would work in the field with him and be on the tractor when needed. When Leon was the manager of the coop gin at Sayre, she worked as a bookkeeper when needed. After Leon had his stroke, she took care of him at home for four years until he passed away.
Lucille was faithful to her family. You could say that she was thrifty. She made her daughter's clothes when they were young. Jeanie tells of when she was a little girl and made a card for one of her teachers. To decorate the card she cut a flower out of her dress and pasted it on the card. Lucille just patched the dress and Jeanie got to keep on wearing the dress, now with the patch.
Lucille was a strong willed, emotionally strong person who did not fall apart at anything. This continued to end of her life, even when she was in much pain she would sometimes refuse to take pain medication.
The goal of this godly mother was to mold her daughters into godly women. Part of this effort was church attendance. Jeanie and Beverly shared that it was an expectation that they would be in church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. This was not optional, it was mandatory, and there was very little that could ever interfere with being in church. This effort at creating a godly character did not end after they left home and married. She continued all through her life to be an example and an encouragement for them, and for her grand children and great grand children who meant so much to her. I know that Lucille has been like a mother to me and I have tried to be a son to her. I am thankful for her prayers for me and her expectations that I knew she had for my life.
II. Not only was Lucille faithful to her family, she has also been faithful in serving God in the church. As I remember, the family first lived and attended the church in the Taylor community (south of Elk City, Oklahoma), and then they lived north of Sayre and attended church at Berlin. Next they were members at Prairie View Baptist and then at Eastside Baptist here in Elk City.
Early in her life as a Christian she served as a Sunday School teacher. She sang in a Christian trio for a while called "The Lucilles" because all of their names were Lucille. She played the piano at some of the churches they attended and she played by shaped notes. She served as the Church Clerk for many years at Prairie View and also at Eastside. She was the Vacation Bible School secretary at Eastside for 25 years. She was also the Sunday School Secretary at Eastside for many years. For many years she was one of three ladies on the Fellowship Committee at Eastside. And she was the WMU (Women's Missionary Union) Director at Eastside and had a great love for missions.
III. How did Lucille become such a faithful person? Was it her personal innate ability? Was she simply born with it? No, her faithfulness came from God. Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit of God. The Bible tells us in Galatians 5: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23a NKJV).
The faithfulness that Lucille demonstrated in her life flowed out of her relationship with her Lord and her Savior, Jesus Christ. Lucille by her faithfulness was following the example of faithfulness given by her God:Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV: Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
Numbers 23:19 (NIV): God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
1 John 1:9 NKJV: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hebrews 10:19-23 NKJV: Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.Psalm 119:90 NKJV: Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NKJV: Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.After hearing that Lucille had passed away Monday morning, I was again thinking of what God would have me to say at this service.
Again the word that came to me was faithful, but a new word had been added. Now it was "found faithful." In the Bible we are told in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 NKJV, "Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." "stewards of the mysteries of God" Every believer is a minister of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God. Lucille has been found faithful in her stewardship of the mysteries of God, which are truths revealed by the Holy Spirit. Sadly, not every Christian is faithful. The difference is one of commitment. Jesus says in Luke 9:23 NKJV, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Lucille made that commitment to follow Christ, and she has lived out that commitment with her life. She has been found faithful!
What about you? If you were to die today would you be found faithful? Faithfulness doesn't just happen, it takes commitment. First it takes commitment of your life to Jesus. Receiving Jesus as your Savior is the beginning of it all. We can look back and see that Lucille did this when she was 16 years old. The Bible says about Jesus in John 1:12 NKJV, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." Have you received Jesus as your personal Savior? Jesus says in Revelation 3:20 NKJV, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
Have you opened up the door of your heart through prayer and asked Jesus Christ to come into your life, forgive you of your sins, and be your Lord and your Master? If not, then I urge you to pray the following prayer now:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I believe you died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day. Please forgive me for the sins, the bad things I have done, I want to change and be like You. Please help me to change, be my Lord and my Master and my Savior. In your Name, Lord Jesus, I ask You to come into my heart and save me. Amen."
Please remember that words alone will not save you. Only if you truly mean it in your heart will you be saved.
IV. Living a great life doesn't just happen, it's not an accident, it requires faithfulness - faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Faithfulness day in and day out, Faithfulness during the good times and the bad times, Faithfulness no matter what life may bring your way. You have to deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Jesus. That is exactly what Lucille did every day from the time she was saved when she was 16 years old. If there is anything that Lucille would want for her family and friends. This is it. She would want each of us to also be found faithful.
V. Today is not a day of sadness. It should be a day of rejoicing. Because we know that Lucille is not here in this casket. No, Lucille is more alive today than she ever was on this earth. She is no longer in pain. She has joy beyond anything we can know upon this earth. As the apostle Paul puts it, Lucille is absent from the body, and present with the Lord. She is in Heaven with her Lord and her Savior. Jesus has wrapped His arms around her, welcoming her to Heaven with the words, "Well done good and faithful servant."
Lucille Deweber Pruet has been found faithful!
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