It wasn’t until about seven years ago that I first celebrated All Saints Day. It tends to be a forgotten day among the faithful as the festivities around Halloween continue to grow in importance and celebration. However since first celebrating this day those seven years ago I have come to have a growing appreciation of its significance.

For some it is a day to remember those brothers and sisters in the faith who have already passed on to glory. I understand that reason for remembering, but in this day in age when we are so mobile and spread out it is equally important to remember those who are still living who have played an important role in our spiritual development. Both groups of people have had a hand in molding and forming me into the man of God that I am today.

All day today names have gone through my mind as I lifted them up in prayer. They are my parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, pastors, youth pastors, friends, parishioners, professors, my wife, my children, students, authors, and musicians. My life is richer for knowing them, and for experiencing God through them. I cannot write properly about them so instead I have drafted this poem entitled Saints:

Saints
Showed me the grace of the Father
Allowed me to recognize my need for Christ’s sacrifice
Instructed me in the faith
Nudged me when I strayed
Told me the old, old stories
Showed me the power of the Holy Spirit