Grief is mourning the loss of someone or something. We are here today to celebrate, mourn, and even lament. We are all on a grief journey. We are not all at the same place on this journey. This is ok. Today is a part of this grief journey. One thing that helps is today. Being with others. Sharing stories. Listening well to one another in the midst of the journey of grief. We will continue to journey in grief even after today. But take hope.

Jesus is not only our sin bearer. He is our pain bearer. He is with us.

Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Jesus is a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). He has gone before with us, He goes with us, we need not be afraid, He will never leave nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Also, Rob is alive. More alive than ever. To live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). We do not grieve as the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, that comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

One thing I love about Rob is his love for children. His kids. All kids. My kids. My son, who is 5 years old, loves Rob. He still even today refers to him as Robbie Pants. My last text from Rob came before he was facilitating a time in California. I told him that I was praying with him. His simple yet beautifully Rob response – Emcee Robbie Pants!

The reason children, and all of us, are drawn to Rob is because he is pure. Pure meaning: genuine, honest, real, sincere, honorable, integrity, willing to stand by his beliefs, pure of heart, does things for joy not merit or status. Does more for others than self, do for others without wanting or expecting anything in return.

He also sought to be present with us.

Rob loved people. One of his tweets said: Love people. Don’t fall in love with your product or service. Don’t obsess with a metric or number. Serve real, living, breathing people and we will change the world.

 Another tweet said: Healthy leaders do not look for recognition from others. Healthy leaders look for others to recognize.  

He would often say, “My best fruit grows on other people’s trees.”

Rob loved to serve others and come along others. He referred to himself as an extension cord. He did that for many of you. He did that for me. Rob Harvey made me a better man of God.

He could love others well because he knew where his power laid.

PRAYER. He taught me much about the power and importance of prayer. He taught by modeling with me. He invited me into prayer gatherings. He asked me to join weekly prayer with Donna. Do this same – model with others!

He often referred to God as Jehovah Sneaky because we could make plans, but He would do more. As he said, it’s rigged.

Rob also understood the power of presence. Presence of being with the Spirit.

Over the last several months, Rob and I spoke more and more about vulnerability and weakness. How could we better model to one another vulnerability and weakness?

Mary recently texted me an image from Instagram. What if Vulnerability is the ultimate display of strength? She said thought of Rob, thought of you.

Rob and I are not perfect in this matter. But we strive for it.

Rob knew that in weakness is strength. He boasted in knowing Christ and Him crucified. He knew that in quietness and rest comes strength.

Rob also saw people differently than most. He saw them as the Spirit saw them. Because of his depth of prayer and his understanding of dependence on God is power, he could speak clearly and directly into people’s lives. Your life. My life.

He saw more than potential in people. He saw and could call out God-given destiny in them.

Rob, with many of us, got dirty. He got dirt under his nails with us. He did not just say things but spent time helping make it happen. He would say “you are not going to miss it.” He was a player/coach. This brought great joy to Rob.

Remember: his best fruit grows on others’ trees. Your trees!

All of this is rooted in Rob’s understanding of his freedom and identity in Christ. More recently, Rob would continue to speak of how we are not slaves or servants but we are sons and daughters of The Most High King and Wonderful Father.

Our Father and Friend welcomes honesty and vulnerability and doubt and questions. Even now today.

Rob knew freedom is not free. Freedom is fragile. Freedom is worth fighting for.

He knew whose he is. Another tweet reminds us that Rob understood this freedom and identity: When you are generous, you show you know what you have is God’s.  

Rob knew that it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us, His kids, the Kingdom. You see, just as Rob loved children, he knew that he was a child.

He saw how great a love the Father had bestowed on him and us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Oh beloved, now we are children of God! (1 John 3:1-2)

Man, I miss and will always love Robbie Pants!