Indeed...he's Dancing

Dr. Robert Lowery's earthly pilgrimage ended last night.  In lieu of what I had tentatively planned to enter today, what I will offer here is a conglomeration of thoughts and comments which have filled the web upon people learning of his death.  It ought to go without saying this is not exhaustive...  Yet I will say I think the most beautiful snippet you will find is the last one by Joe Mollet - a loved son-in-law (who I am certain was treated as a son).

My mentor and friend Dr. Robert Lowery just went to be with Jesus...I will do my best to carry on your legacy with honor friend...grace and peace

• Shane J. Wood - via Facebook

Dr. Bob Lowery passed this evening around 6 pm. His family is very thankful for the prayers and words of comfort this week. Please continue to be in prayer for them, his friends, and his students. Bob is now dancing with the Lamb; we still face the Dragon. May his influence in our lives lend us strength to carry the battle forward.

• Rob Peterson - via Facebook

My teacher, mentor, and friend Dr. Robert Lowery now is able to "behold" ... I look with hope toward the day when all will be made new. (Rev 21-22)

• Jim Dalrymple - via Facebook

Revelation 14:13 -- the blessing can be claimed by yet one more. While my heart is saddened by Dr. Lowery's passing, it is also full of confident hope that death has not really won for undoubtedly this one has died "in the Lord!" May he rest in the presence of the Lamb ...

• Matthew Martin - via Facebook

Bob passed quietly in the company of his friends and family. As with all our mentors, his legacy lives on in us. What he's contributed to the church and the world will continue to make a difference because he's placed in another generation of faithful men and women. Though I realize the context is different, Rev 14:13 comes to mind: "...and his works will follow him."

• Dr. Chuck Sackett - via Facebook

Dr. Lowery quietly and peacefully passed from this life about an hour ago. Marilyn said that he squeezed her hand tightly, then quit breathing.

• a portion of an email sent from Dr. Paul Boatman of LCU

After a lifetime of Listening to the Lyrics of the Lamb, Dr. Robert Lowery is now joining in the chorus.

• Vance Russel - via Facebook

If we listen to John, we learn that in the end, you, I, indeed, everyone, will have a new beginning, either the most wonderful or the most awful beginning of all. It is an ending that leads to rhapsody because we stand before the reigning Lord and the redeeming Lamb or to woe because we are banished forever from their presence. In the end, what makes the difference is the song we sing." - Robert Lowery
This quote is from "Revelation's Rhapsody", a book by Bob that my classmates and I (who were in his 2005 Revelation course) were privileged to participate in creating. In his humble wisdom, Bob always invited the dialogue of fellow believers to inform his scholarship.
Bob is singing for Jesus in His full presence today -- and for all time. My head says "Rejoice!" -- my heart isn't their yet.

• Ann Kafer - via her blog

And I think the most fitting to end this short collection:
Papa to the girls "In a couple of days you will get a phone call from Grandma. She will have good news and bad news. The bad news...I will be dead, but the good news...I will be in Heaven with Jesus. When Grandma calls I want you to dance because I am in Heaven." Tonight my girls danced for Papa. We miss you Bob but will see you again.

• Joe Mollet - via Facebook

Indeed...Dr. Lowery is dancing!!  Our minds rejoice - our hearts will catch up.  Indeed...we will see him again!!  Amen - praise God for grace & salvation!

Indeed...A Scholar

Since learning of Dr. Lowery’s impending death on Monday, not a day has gone by when tears have not filled my eyes.  I share my thoughts not merely to share my emotions, but to share principles I am learning during this time of grief.  My hope is this process will help shape me into a more godly man. 

Yet before I get too far I want to make a disclaimer; I am not a “Lowery-ite”.  In other words, I follow Jesus and not Dr. Lowery.  I state what ought to be obvious because this series of posts (as well as other posts you may visit via this blog) may make Dr. Lowery seem “larger than life”.  No one’s intention is to deify Dr. Lowery.  The intent of anything you may read in relation to him is to convey how a godly man has impacted the lives of many as he followed Jesus.   

There is no doubt Dr. Lowery is a “world-class” scholar of the Bible.  Sadly, many do not know his name.  The reason for this; if you do not publish in academia, you rarely get “big name” recognition.  Dr. Lowery was not concerned about a “big name”.  He felt called to teach a full (or beyond full) class load and invest in the lives of students rather than teach fewer classes in order to write.  

Dr. Lowery’s teaching style (for classes dealing with books of the Bible) was to teach principles of Bible Study rather than lecture about the content of a book.  Personally, I would have loved more lectures from him; yet what I learned is far more valuable than information.  I learned how (despite my limitations) to probe God’s Word to the point where I realize I am being probed by It.  In other words (while the following is not verbatim, I attribute it to him), “The deeper we probe Scripture the more we realize we are the object and It is the subject.”  There are many applications to this, one of which is we ought not to shape God’s Word into what we want it to say…rather God’s Word ought to shape us into the people He desires us to be.   

To say Dr. Lowery never revealed elements of his Bible Study with his students would be false.  Yet examples of that is not the intent of this post.  My prayer is I, and those influenced by him, will continue to reveal elements of our study (influenced by his teaching and scholarship) in our lives – via preaching, teaching, and loving others – as we live for God’s glory.  

In order to bring this entry to a close I will briefly mention my first class with Dr. Lowery.  In the Fall of 2005 I took Preaching from the New Testament (which he team-taught with Dr. Chuck Sackett; another profound influence on my life).  The principles I began to learn that week I still seek to implement (and my shortcomings in doing so are my own – not those of the men who taught me); yet an eye-opening moment from that week will be the basis of my next entry. 

Here is a post of a book recently published in honor of Dr. Lowery.

Links to other posts will occur in following articles. 

Indeed...

As I type, the pilgrimmage of a professor of mine is nearing its earthly end.  The life of Dr. Robert Lowery, on this earth, is drawing to a close.  He is in hospice care.  Unfortunately cancer has taken a devestating toll on his body.  He is ready; ready to be in the presence of his God. 

An attempt at conveying the variety of things I have thought, experienced, reflected upon, and prayed since learning of Bob's rapid health decline on Monday would a) make this post too long, b) not do justice to my intentions - as they may be incoherent right now - and the truth is, c) others are more qualified than me to write reflective thoughts on Bob.  Therefore, if I stick to my intentions, this will be the first of a series of posts.  I hope they will be received well.

You may have noticed I mentioned Dr. Lowery is a professor of mine.  This may strike some as odd since I graduated from the Seminary side of Lincoln Christian University last Spring.  It may sound a bit more odd when I acknowledge my last class with him was in the fall of 2007.  Yet the apparent oddness is reality.  I am quite certain I am not the only student of Dr. Lowery who will acknowlege that in a very real way he continues to impact me (and them) today.  My intention is to relay some of what I mean in the coming posts.

Yet before I venture there I must state the obvious.  Those of us who know Bob do not grieve as those who have no hope (cf. 1Thess4:13).  No, our grieving is of a different kind.  Yet before I move into that I do want to acknowledge the loss and pray for his wife Marilyn as well as their children Rachel and Brian - both of whom are married with children.  While the Kingdom is losing a godly man; they are losing a Papa, Daddy, Father-in-law (I am certain they called him Dad), husband, and best friend. 

Indeed, what a loss.  Indeed...