Ginette Jennings’ Obituary Here.
It is not hard to say kind things about Ginette Jennings, because she was one of the kindest people that we could hope to meet. We know Ginette as a devoted Christian wife, mother, and grandmother. And that is part of the reason why her departure from this life hurts our hearts.
The Bible says something that’s hard to understand in Psalm 116:15:
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.”
Ginette was certainly a faithful servant, but death does not seem precious to us. It means we will no longer see our loved one. It means the conversations and experiences together have now ceased. It means an empty seat at the table. It means that there are days ahead where many things have to be sorted out both in a home and in a heart. Death brings about grief and sorrow, and that is a reality we face as human beings. It doesn’t seem precious to us. But at the end of our New Testament is a similar statement.
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” - Revelation 14:13
Maybe the reason why the death of his faithful servants is precious to the Lord is found in this verse in the Revelation.
-It is a voice from heaven - the Lord is speaking these words and we want to hear from Him in our times of struggle and pain.
-The Lord instructs these words to be written down - he does not want them to be forgotten, but to be remembered and memorized and counted on when we need them most.
-Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord - for those who give their lives to Christ there is a blessing to be found in death. Maybe not in the way we think about blessings - but in the sense of being accepted and loved by Jesus who died for us, a state of being settled and content, away from the trials and struggles of this life.
-From now on - this is a blessing that does not end in the book of Revelation but continues on throughout the ages because our Eternal God can make it so. It’s a promise that Ginette is now experiencing, and it’s a promise for followers of Jesus today.
-They will rest from their labor - Life itself is a labor as we age. Whether it is health, finances, or the loss of our friends, all of our diminished capacities begin to pile up - and there is rest awaiting us.
-For their deeds will follow them. Our lives now matter, because our deeds follow us. I don’t know how that is, exactly, but it tells me that God notices our faithfulness and service - and he would notice Ginette’s life with a smile.
So, yes, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants…. Because they will rest from their labor.”
Ginette was such a wonderful example to me and I know we all share many memories of her life that make us smile.
Her Amazing Life Story - from Paris to the US, to Christianity.
Her accent is mentioned in the obituary and I agree, that it was sweet and enchanting to speak with her.
Her devoted love for Gene - and his obvious love for her.
Her faithfulness to the church. She loved to sing, loved to study the Bible. For the first many years of my ministry here, the Jennings were present at every service. It wasn’t until health failed them that their seats were empty.
A friend to many. Ginette had long-term friendships both outside and inside of this church. Some of those friends gathered weekly to play dominoes. I imagined that it would be fun to play with them, and they welcomed me into the games.
Look at this picture - sweet mostly older women who are smiling and look so nice - but will cut you down in the game while they smile! I tried not to sit to the left of Ginette, to avoid being her victim at dominoes! They took no mercy! I wish I could play dominoes with her one more time. Ginette was fun and funny. Also in this picture, Julia Kelly is now with the Lord.
I think we should remember these things when we think of her. And I think we should think of her often.
Before we close today, one more reason why I think Ginette is blessed to be with the Lord now is that she is freed and healed from the Parkinson’s Disease that robbed her of her health in the last years of her life. Gene, you took good care of her during these declining years. When I visited, which was less often than it should have been, I noticed the way that you did everything you could to make her comfortable. You loved her well, friend.
So, we have much to smile and celebrate in the life of Ginette Jennings. And we have much to weep and mourn. But I encourage us all to place our lives in the hands of a Risen Savior who loves us and gave himself for us.
It is in this trust, this faith, in the Lord Jesus Christ that Apostle Paul wrote the stirring words concluding Romans 8:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
I’ll be remembering Gene and family in my prayers, in the difficult days to come. Among those prayers will be the hope that he can remember the joys as well.