My Tribute to Gabe

My Tribute to Gabe

by Clinton Echols

I have known Gabriel Stephens since he was a toddler through the Joni and Friends network.  Gabriel showed me his special room with all the balls and I have lunched with his mom and dad when the beautiful missionaries of JAF are busy with Gabriel.  

Gabriel never spoke a complete sentence, but he taught his parents and caregivers an entirely new language.  If it were not for Gabriel, Glen Stephens would never know the patience God gives to a parent.  If it were not for Gabriel, his mother and father would never have become the "team" that they are today.  If it were not for Gabriel, cool places like "Make a Wish" would not exist.  If it were not for Gabriel, 1000s would not have contemplated God's gifts to them.  If it were not for Gabriel, his family would never have enjoyed some great vacations or been on a first name basis with Mickey Mouse.  If it were not for Gabriel, many able bodied people would never have seen a picture of true, complete dependence nor would they have been able to relate that picture to what it means to trust in God.  If it were not for Gabriel, platforms for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ would never have been built.  If it were not for Gabriel, opportunities for us to humble ourselves to rock a young boy or to wipe his spit would never have appeared.  Many people are closer to God, have gotten over that whole problem of evil thing, have made disability their ministry, have seen the world through different eyes, and have experienced the life, power, and peace of Jesus because we knew and continue to know Gabriel Stephens.

Gabriel is alive and well today.  It comforts us to think that Gabriel can run, jump, and sing in heaven with his Savior, Jesus.  I grin at the idea.  But, that is just gravy.  The inability of Gabriel on earth was a metaphor of our inability to live fully with God.  We all want full life.  That's not really measured by how fast you can run, but by how close you can get to and look like Jesus.  I pray that as the Gabriel Stephens of earth proclaims to us our spiritual disabilities, we will endeavor to reach heaven as he has: free to live the way God always intended- sinless.  

For we who have seen God's glorious plan to redeem the world, we can boldly say that it was God's will for Gabriel to spend a few years with us as a very broken vessel.  Praise God, because now we long for our redemption ever so much more.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to God in any other way than through Him- John 14:6.  Abundant life- the life God always wanted for us- John 10:10, is offered through Jesus.  Somebody, maybe even now, is walking up to Gabriel in Heaven and saying: "You are Gabriel Stephens?  Wow!  I know Jesus better because of you."

Gratefully,

Pastor Clint Echols

First Baptist Church of Zeeland