Elva Marie Lay.  My grandmother was named Elva by her father.  Unfortunately, this was also the name of one of his former girlfriends. So her mother called her by her middle name: Marie.  But most people, whether she was their grandmother or not, called her Nannie.  She was everyone’s Nannie.

 

Nannie died last Friday at the age of 96.  She left behind 4 children, 13 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren; 50 descendants in all.  While my family is certainly not as big as the “great nation” promised to Abraham, I was reminded of the Scripture that recorded the death of the father of many nations. “These are all the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years.  Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people” (Gen. 25:7-8).  This same passage reflects the beautiful life of a woman who truly was a blessing to all the families of the earth.

 

“Abraham breathed his last.”   For as long as I can remember, people said about Nannie, “she’ll probably outlive us all.”  We knew how old she was, but she never acted her age. It just seemed like that as some slowed down, she kept going.  While others got weaker, she strengthened with age.  And so we said, “she’s probably going to outlive us all.”  But sooner or later, we had to know that the day would come when she would breathe her last.  As she struggled for breath in the last week of her life, we even welcomed the thought.

 

Such is the inevitable appointment of every man.  “Come he slow or come he fast, it is but death who comes at last” (Sir Walter Scott).  Abraham lived to be 175.  Nannie made it to 96, a remarkable achievement for sure.  But she has gone the way of all the earth.  And, unless the Lord returns first, her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren will follow her.  As Solomon said in another place, “this is the end of every man” (Eccl. 7:2).  Even one that we thought would outlive us all.

 

We also read that Abraham “died in a good old age.”  Nannie truly brought the “good” to old age.  People couldn’t believe it when they found out how old she was.  She could hug you and hurt you at the same time.  She wasn’t confined to her house.  She didn’t take medication.  She never used her age as an excuse for why she couldn’t do something.  She was just “the little old lady from Pasadena.”  She was not bitter or angry or always complaining.  She grew old gracefully.  And she died with dignity, in a good old age.  

 

When Abraham passed away, he was further described as “an old man and satisfied with life.”   Nannie did not just have a life of quantity of years, but quality.  She didn’t simply occupy space on the earth for nearly a century.  She used those days to serve God, to serve her family, and to serve her fellow man.

 

She was a widow for over 35 years, almost as long as she was married.  So was able to devote her full attention to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.  From ages 82 to 95, she followed a daily Bible reading program, once telling me that she learned something new about the Scriptures every time.  How appropriate, then, that during that same time she helped numerous children in the Pasadena schools to learn to read through the HOSTS program.  Her hands were always busy, whether in a sink full of dirty dishes or in a pile of laundry that needed ironing.  She gave meaning to the passage, “so teach us to number our days” (Psa. 90:12).  Nannie made each one count for something.  She died “satisfied with life” because she lived and died in the Lord.

 

But what I like most about this verse is what it says at the end.  “Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, and old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.”  This same thing was later said at the death of Abraham’s son and grandson.  “He was gathered to his people” (Gen. 35:29, 49:33).

 

When you live to be 96, you have to watch a lot of family members pass away.  Nannie buried her husband, a daughter, a sister, two brothers, and a son-in-law.  And as she got closer and closer to her own death, surely she was comforted by the thought of seeing those who had gone before.  They were waiting for her, and she was gathered to her people.  Because her people were the people of God.

 

“Servant of God, well done!  

Rest from thy loved employ.  

The battle fought, the victory won,

enter thy Master’s joy.  

 

The pains of death are past,

labor and sorrow cease;

and life’s long warfare closed at last,

thy soul is found in peace” (Well Done, James Montgomery).  

 

Yes!  Well done, good and faithful servant.  I’ll see you in a little while.