Life Reflections – Harry Nugent

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Short Summary
The discourse honors the passing of Brother Harry Nugent, reflecting on his life, faith, and the grace with which he aged, emphasizing his growing sympathy, wisdom, and focus on others and the hope of being with the Lord. It also highlights the support needed for his wife Mary, who shared 73 years of marriage with him, and closes with a hymn and prayer seeking comfort and guidance for those mourning and continuing their spiritual journey.

Long Summary
Acknowledgment of Brother Harry Nugent’s Passing
– Brother Harry Nugent passed away on Thursday around 6:30 pm.
– By God’s grace, Sister Mary was home from the hospital at the time, allowing Harry to be surrounded by loved ones—Mary, Mark, Roberta, and a caregiver.
– The speaker expressed gratitude for the Lord’s overruling in allowing this peaceful departure.

Reflection on Brother Harry’s Views on Growing Old with Grace
– Two interview clips with Brother Harry were shared to remember his perspective on aging with grace.
– Harry described growing old as “really growing in wisdom.”
– He noted that old age brings increased sympathy and patience towards others, insights that were not present in younger years.
– He admitted uncertainty about his own patience but hoped he had gained it.
– He emphasized a more profound appreciation for brethren and humanity generally, reflecting on the swift passage of time.
– This insight reveals Harry’s focus on others, especially the brethren, and a compassionate heart toward the brokenness of the world in his later years.

Brother Harry’s Perspective on Life’s Final Phase
– In the second clip, Harry spoke about experiencing the “finals” of his life course, acknowledging that final answers had not yet come but expressing readiness.
– He contrasted looking backward (common in old age) with the Lord’s people’s focus, which is forward—looking to be with the Lord.
– He expressed excitement about the prospect of being with the Lord, hoping his “final fruitage” would justify this excitement.
– The speaker noted the joy and heartfelt expression in Harry’s voice when he spoke of this hope.

Remembering Harry and Supporting Sister Mary
– Harry and Mary were married for 73 years, a remarkable testament to their lifelong companionship.
– Sister Mary was encouraged to be kept in prayer and given love and support during her grief, recognizing the loss of her “best friend.”
– The speaker and Sister Jewel visited Mary shortly after her return from the hospital, finding her praying quietly by Harry’s bedside.
– The visit was brief and respectful of Mary’s fatigue but included a moment of fellowship.
– The speaker shared a scripture with Harry at his bedside: Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
– The speaker felt Harry acknowledged this farewell with an expression.

Hymn and Prayer in Memory of Brother Harry
– The meeting opened with hymn number 64, “God be with you till we meet again,” as a tribute to Brother Harry.
– Hymn lyrics emphasize trust, hope, and the promise of reunion at Jesus’ feet.
– The prayer expressed:
– Thanksgiving for the years of fellowship with Brother Harry.
– Gratitude for Harry’s teaching through words, actions, and attitude.
– Hope and joy in anticipating meeting him again at Jesus’ feet.
– Special prayer for Sister Mary, asking for God’s comfort, peace, and presence in her time of loss despite the hope of resurrection.
– Recognition of the pain and loss that comes with death even when hope exists.
– Request for God’s blessing on the meeting and study to follow, asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit.
– The prayer was offered in Jesus’ precious name, reflecting Christian faith and hope.

Overall Themes and Spiritual Encouragement
– The discourse centers on the Christian perspective of aging, death, and hope in the resurrection.
– It highlights the importance of sympathy, patience, and concern for others as signs of growing in wisdom and grace.
– Emphasizes the joyful anticipation of meeting the Lord after life’s course is finished, as the ultimate focus of believers.
– Encourages the community to support those grieving and to trust in God’s guidance and comfort.
– The scripture from Proverbs 3:5-6 serves as a foundational reminder to trust God fully throughout life and in times of loss.

Key Bible Verse Mentioned:
– Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV):
*“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”*

Transcript

Well, I would like to take some time to acknowledge our dear brother Harry’s passing. Harry Nugent, he finished his course on Thursday around 6:30pm By God’s grace, Mary was home from the hospital. We’re very grateful for the Lord’s overruling on that, and Mark and Roberta and Mary were there with a caregiver over that time. So he was surrounded with love as he departed this world.

I want to play two clips from Brother Harry when I interviewed him for a discourse I was working on, and I asked him this question. What does growing old with grace mean to you? And we’re going to listen to what Brother Harry said about that is really growing in wisdom.

There are things in my life that once I was not particularly tolerant of or wasn’t aware of it. But as life went on and one thing, old age takes a lot of things away from you, but nevertheless, you become sympathetic towards others. That is one of the things that old age will give you is sympathy, or it should, and insights into others which you may not have had before. So I find old age both gives you insights and patience. Well, I don’t know how patient I am.

I hope so, and a more profound appreciation, especially of brethren, but of humanity in general, because when you get to this point, you say, where has all the time gone?

So Brother Harry, his focus was others at his life, and so he was focused on the brethren and he was able to think about more about them and his concern for them, and he sees the world and how broken it is and his heart was truly reaching out at that stage of his life. So it’s a beautiful expression of where he was in his age of grace, looking out to others, and then he continues with another little clip that I thought was fascinating in the interview, and if we could go to clip two.

In my life, I think I’m experiencing the finals and of course, the answers haven’t come in yet and I’m still. But many of the things that I cannot be tested on as I was in the past, and so I’m in the finals, and my focus now, though being old, often your focus is looking back. But in the case of the Lord’s people, we are looking to be with the Lord.

This is the most important thing in our life and we’re excited over it, and I hope that my excitement is justified with my final fruitage. Thank you for playing those. So his excitement to be with the Lord, if he qualified with his fruitage at the end of his course, and did you hear his voice raise up with Joy when he spoke those words, that was Brother Harry always with expression flowing from the heart.

So I felt that that might be a great way to remember him, and please remember that Mary and Harry were married for 73 years, and please keep Sister Mary in your prayers and give her the love and support she needs through her grief. She’s without her best friend, and it’s been so many years that she had her best friend next to her. Well, Sister Jewel and I had the privilege that day of going to the home around 12:30, and Mary had just gotten back from the hospital, and she was beautifully holding his hand and keeping her head down.

She was in prayer and just reflecting with Brother Harry at the bedside, and when we came in, we hoped we didn’t disturb her. But we had a Little fellowship for 15 minutes. We didn’t want to stay long because we knew she was tired from the hospital. But before we left, I was able to go right up to Harry’s, the head of the bed, to talk to him.

And I had a scripture that came to mind. It was Proverbs 3, 5, 6, Trust in the Lord, which is one of our favorite scriptures, and at the end of that scripture, I said, harry, until we meet again, and I think he heard it. I think he acknowledged it with an expression on his face.

And I’d like to open with a singing of hymn number 64 for brother Harry in memory of Brother Harry, and after the singing of that hymn, we would like to ask Brother Steve if he could open our meeting with prayer. Hymn number 64, Ra.

God be with you Till we meet again.

God be with you Till we meet again Till we meet Till we meet again Till we meet Jesus.

Word is unfailing of you I be with you Till we meet again Will we be willing Will we be.

Till we meet Till we meet again.

Our most kind and loving heavenly Father Hallowed be thy most holy and precious name Dear Father, the sentiments of this hymn strike our hearts this morning as we remember and with joy and thanksgiving the many years that we had the fellowship on this side of the veil with our dear Brother Harry. We thank you for that. It has been a great uplift to us. He has been a great teacher to us in many different ways through his words, his actions, his attitude, and so, dear Father, we, as the sentiments of this hymn express, till we meet him and so many others again at Jesus feet, the feet of thy dear son.

We thank thee for the honor of knowing him and of having our life, our lives, touch each other. We ask at this time, especially dear Father, Thy presence and thy blessing and thy comfort and peace to be with Sister Mary in her difficult time of loss, and we know that regardless of the fact that we have this wonderful hope there is still a loss when a family member so close has has departed this life, and so we ask you to be with Sister Mary and with all of us as we comfort her and encourage her and be with her as we know that thou art with her and we leave her in Thy tender hands knowing that you, your love and your mercy and your tenderness will be with her at this time. Now we ask a blessing on our meeting to follow and our study.

Please bless Brother Jonathan as he directs us and please bless each one of us as we sit at thy feet and learn of thee and learn of thy dear Son. Guide us and direct us by Thy Holy Spirit and we leave the interests of this meeting in thy care and keeping asking it in Jesus precious name. Amen.

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