Once in a lifetime, all of us meet that one special person that marks our life more than any other.  Some people mark their father or mother, other folks consider their grandfather or grandmother, while others meet a random person that totally changes them for the better. 

In 1999, I was a struggling young preacher.  Although my grandpa “Pa Mutt” was a great example to me growing up, I didn’t really get the opportunity to glean from his wisdom and knowledge in the ministry or as a child of God in general.  By the time I had given my life to the Lord, he had already gone on to Heaven. 

The Lord  had something special in mind for this young struggling preacher.  Little did I know that the Lord would plant me and my family at Bellview Church and allow me to get close to one of the most wonderful men of God that I had ever gotten the privilege to know.

Brother Rick Rigsby was special.  And to say “special”, I don’t know how else to describe him.  He was such a loving pastor to us.  For a young preacher trying to find his way, he was such a great example to me of what a preacher should be.  He loved the Lord with all his heart.  He was so deeply anointed of God.  The first time my dad came to Bellview and heard him preach, he told me he hadn’t seen a preacher like Rick since the old days.  Also from that first time, he wanted Rick to preach his funeral and that’s exactly what he did. 

Rick couldn’t preach without crying.  He was very humble.  And because he loved the Lord and wanted God’s will so much, he did not tolerate any foolishness in the house of God.  He believed things should be done decently and in order as the bible says.  Many times I saw him openly confront things that needed to be confronted.  These types of things would be unwelcoming in this generation, but his desire was to be well pleasing unto the Lord above all things.

When bro Rick went on to be with the Lord that Tuesday July 14^th, 2009, I was working in Spring City, TN at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant.  I’ll never forget getting the news he had been in an accident at a local business in our area.  After we received the dreadful news that Rick had left the walks of this life, our world stopped.  I had been Rick’s assistant pastor at Bellview for some years, when all of a sudden, our world stopped turning for a moment.  I do remember praying to the Lord in our sorrow and loss of our pastor, “Lord, where do I go from here?”  The Lord impressed me so clearly in the scriptures how He had allowed His people a certain time and space to weep and mourn over their loved ones.  The Lord made it very plain to me that He would indeed grant us that time to weep over the loss of our pastor.

At some point during the funeral, I was reminded of something that happened just a few days before Rick went to glory.  He preached the last Sunday morning at Bellview on a subject I can’t seem to recall to this day for some reason.  However, I remember, as was Rick’s custom, to make laps around the pulpit and altar while he was preaching.  I remember him stepping down from the stage from the right side of the altar coming around toward me just preaching up a storm.  I’ll never forget these words as long as I have my good mind.  He said “The time of my departure is at hand.”  The reason those words stuck out to me is because it had nothing to do with his message.  That phrase, although taken from 2 Timothy 4, was so out of place because his message had absolutely nothing to do with it.  It was so out of place that I remember thinking to myself, “Why in the world did he say that?”  But looking back I understand full well.  Rick was about to go to heaven and some part of Brother Rick knew it, whether in his mind or in his spirit.

He was the first man of God that I could say was full of the Holy Spirit.  I had heard many preachers preach.  I have much respect for many of the older preachers that are still around today and still standing for the gospel, but none preached with a deep anointing like brother Rick did.  He was close to the Lord.  He walked in a very consecrated walk with God.  As I preached last night, he was the type of man that provoked you to a closer walk with God just by being around him. 

For 16 years now, I still have times I’d love to speak to him, get his advice on certain things in the ministry.  To this day I would love to just sit and listen to him talk about things the Lord had shown him in the scripture much like Saul of Tarsus sitting at the feet of Gamaliel.  He left a great mark in my life.  To this day I still wonder why he had to go to Heaven so soon when he was so needed in this world.  All I can do is accept the fact that God is always right.  He knows what He’s doing.  I’m thankful to have had such a godly example of what an humble preacher should be.

I’ll forever be grateful to God for the godly example he allowed me the privilege to know.

Today marks 16 years of my pastor’s graduation from this life to his heavenly reward.  Those who have come before us have now handed the baton off to us. It’s our time to run. It’s our time to do what God has called us to do. It’s our time to run our race and finish our course.

He carried old fashioned burdens of the Lord for the lost, undone, outcast. He is at rest with Jesus. I wouldn’t call him back if I could. All I know is I want to live my life for Jesus and one day it will be my time. This circle, although currently broken, will be unbroken one day. I can’t wait to see him again in glory.

Seeing we are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight…and run with patience the race that is set before us.  Hebrews 12:1-2.