Today, I heard that Robert L Reymond has gone
to his heavenly reward. I had known him through Christian publishing and as a
friend. He and his wife Shirley spent time with us in Inverness and my wife and
I stayed with them several times in Fort Lauderdale. We have been thinking of
the numerous ways in which they showed kindness to us and of the happy times we
had with them.
It was a pleasure to work with him on several
of his books. I had the privilege of editing them for Christian Focus. Each one
informed me about his love for the peerless doctrines of the Reformed faith and
gave continued insights into his brilliant mind which he had dedicated to his
Master's use over several decades. Although he has gone, he has left a rich
legacy of theological writings for current and future Christians to study and
reflect on.
As I was thinking about him, three incidents
came to mind which, for me, say what kind of Christian he was in addition to
being a loving husband and father, a faithful pastor, and a gracious friend.
The first occurred about fifteen years ago
while he spent the afternoon at the CFP booth at the PCA General Assembly. For
a couple of hours, a continual line of pastors came to thank him for what he
had taught them in seminary and I could see his great pleasure as they told him
where they were and how they were getting on. Here was a teacher of pastors
thankful for what God had enabled him to do in preparing them to serve the
Saviour.
The second concerns a visit we paid to John
Murray's grave near Bonar Bridge in the Scottish Highlands. As we stood beside
it and read the inscribed words I could see tears in his eyes. Here was a
theological giant aware of what he owed to those who had gone before him. He
valued the contribution of John Murray and numerous other Reformed theologians.
While he did not always agree with what others wrote, he had a heart
appreciation for them.
The third occurred during a visit we paid to a
wildlife farm south of Inverness. We went into the shop and looked around. I
noticed that Bob was talking to the girl who was working there. She was
listening intently to him and I overheard him ask kindly about her future plans
before he skilfully brought her to think about the future that will occur after
this life and her need of Jesus. Here was the heart of an evangelist who did
not wish to miss an opportunity to tell even a stranger about the Saviour.
Bob is now in heaven and
his own words describe what he is now experiencing with the believers there:
'Then they will know more intense joy, greater knowledge of, and closer
communion with their exalted Saviour and Lord. The love relationship between
them and him there will be inexpressibly rhapsodic.'
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