I'll meet you in the morning . . . When all sorrow has drifted away

 Today I learned that a long time friend and a man with whom I have spent countless hours of wonderful fellowship and we consider a part of our family went home to be with his Lord. Glenn Pitts was a lot of things but most of all he was a kind and gentle soul.

I had known about Glen Pitts before I actually knew him. His family was one of the pioneer families in my home town of Pasadena, Texas. He was proud of the fact that his father was the first child born in Pasadena and that one of the oldest streets in the city was named for his family. We have spent many an hour talking about the history of Pasadena.

I met officially in 1990 when I met with the Pastor Search Committee (Pulpit Committee) in his home as they shared with me the fact that the church had voted to extend a call to me as their senior pastor. From that day to this their home has been open to Susan and myself.

It wasn't long after I arrived at the church that my family began to be the recipient of the Pitts friendship. Kathleen and my mom became best friends visiting almost daily by phone. Susan and I were in their home regularly; we traveled frequently to their place on the Blanco River in Wimberley; we fished and swam in the river together; in short, we did what good friends do, we enjoyed each other's company.

As I look back over my life and all the people who have touched my life and whose lives I have touch, and they are many, I can only think of a handful of people who I can honestly say have been true friends. Now I need to define what I mean by a "true friend."  A true friend is someone in your life circle whom no matter how badly you hurt and disappoint them they do not abandon you because of that hurt or disappointment. Instead, they make a special effort to come to you.  Glenn and Kathleen are true friends. I cannot think of anyone I know that I have hurt or disappointed more than Glenn and Kathleen Pitts and yet they were the first ones to take their stand with me. For that I am eternally grateful.  I shall never forget the words, "That may be what you did but we know you well enough to know that is not who you are. We will never speak of this matter again"

Indeed, Glenn and Kathleen have stood with me through some of the darkest days of my life and ministry. They have been and are now a part of a small group of people to whom I can truthfully say, "You are my friends." They have, in word and deed, been true friends.

I think the fact that true friends are so few and far between is what makes one of them passing into eternity cause such an empty feeling. I will go on have more acquaintances, colleagues and friends but "true friends" are irreplaceable. The one consolation is as a friend said to me, "David good friends like that are hard to find and even harder to release from this earth but you in your faith know this is not goodbye just . . . see you later."

Glen is ready for this hour both by life commitment to Jesus Christ and life lived in the world. He often confided in me some secret from his past and he'd always preface it by saying, "Brother David, everybody has their secrets" and then he'd go on to share something from his days as a Merchant Seaman or some other aspect of his life. I always felt our friendship was mutual, he trusted me with his 'secrets' and I trusted him with mine.  And as our mutual friend Bob Witt used to say about one of his stories, "Preacher whether that story is true or not its the story I'm taking with me to my grave."  That's what true friends do . . . they can know your secret fears and sins and still will be there with you.

There is an old Christian hymn, "No Not One" that begins with the line, "There's not a Friend like the lowly Jesus: No, not one! no, not one!"  That is absolutely true but my friend Glenn Pitts was enough like Jesus so that I can say, "I have no friend better than Glenn Pitts except for Jesus my Lord."  The reason, in this matter he was more like Jesus as the years have gone by.

Still, having said all that, as many of you know, it is hard on family and dear friends to say, "Until we meet at Jesus feet."  But, until we meet at Jesus feet I shall give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for allowing me to have as a true friend his servant Glenn Pitts and for weaving him largely into the fabric of my life. Going to miss you my friend as you join that great host of witnesses cheering the rest of us as we press toward the mark of our calling in Christ Jesus.

 

The hour of my departure’s come,
I hear the voice that calls me home;
At last, O Lord, let trouble cease,
Now let Thy servant die in peace!

 

Not in mine innocence I trust;
I bow before Thee in the dust,
And through my Savior’s blood alone
I look for mercy at Thy throne.

 

I leave the world without a tear,
Save for the friends I held so dear;
To heal their sorrows, Lord, descend,
And to the friendless prove a friend.

 

I come, I come at Thy command,
I yield my spirit to Thy hand!
Stretch forth Thy everlasting arms,
And shield me in the last alarms.

 

The hour of my departure’s come,
I hear the voice that calls me home;
At last, O Lord, let trouble cease,
Now let Thy servant die in peace!

 

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.


I take great joy in saying, "He was my friend from the day I met him until the day he went to be with Jesus." However I take greater joy in the fact that he called me "friend."