by Dale Mercer
Synopsis: Sister Thelma Lee Mercer has gone to her eternal reward. Her grandson, Dale, recalls the godly influence that she exerted for so many years.
Thelma Lea Mercer, my grandmother, passed away on March 28, 2019, at the age of ninety-six. Her steady influence over the years impacted countless lives. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, a hard worker, and a homemaker. She was a cookie baker, a giver of hugs, a birthday card sender, an encourager, and a gardener. However, in spending time with her, you would soon find that her excellence in all these things flowed from something deeper and more profound. My grandmother was, above all else, a woman of faith in God.
Psalm 119 was written by one with a deep and sincere love for God, and by extension, a profound love for His word and instruction. Throughout the psalm, the author declares his love for God’s word, and affirms that to study Sacred Scripture is not wearisome. Instead, it is refreshment, joy, and nourishment. My grandmother embodied this attitude toward God and His word.
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word (Ps. 119:10–16, ESV).
In verse 10, the writer expresses his choice to seek God and His desire to live righteously. My grandmother converted to Christ at age eighteen. She gave herself wholly to God. She was a faithful member of the Robison Street church of Christ in Edna, TX for over seventy-five years. Like a rock that the storm beats against, she was unwavering in her devotion to God. She pursued holiness and took great care to assure that all she did was pleasing to God. From her speech, to her worship, to even doing her taxes, in every action, her greatest desire was to serve and glorify God.
The author speaks in verse 11 of filling his heart with God’s word and how this is a remedy against sin. My grandmother was an exemplification of this verse. Jesus said, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). My grandmother spent years diligently studying the Lord’s teachings and storing up good treasure. It showed in the way she lived and the way she spoke. She carried the Bible with her, written on her heart.
Verse 12 begins with praise to God and ends with a request to be taught His statutes. My grandmother’s focus was on God and His word. She sought His teachings on every biblical subject, not the opinions of men. Once she invited me to her home to give me some books to help with my preaching. As she went through her small bookcase, she examined each book and set some reference books to the side for me. She came to a collection of sermons and put it to the other side saying, “I don’t care anything about giving you that. You’ll be studying and writing your own sermons.” I’m sure there was nothing wrong with the sermon outline book. Yet, this is a prime example of her belief in the need to go to the Bible for our teaching and authority and not to lean on men.
In verse 13, the author states his practice of telling others of God’s word. Any conversation with my grandmother would inevitably turn to biblical subjects. My grandmother loved to talk about God and the Bible, freely sharing her knowledge and wisdom. She was equally quick to share biblical truth with someone she just met as to discuss a sermon point with a preacher. She taught her sons the truth and lived to see two of them serve as elders in the church. My youngest uncle fondly remembers how she read him a psalm every night at bedtime when he was a young boy. The Lord’s word was always on her tongue.
The writer speaks in verse 14 of valuing the teaching of God more than riches. My grandmother grew up poor, but lived to see times of financial ease. She was frugal and a good steward of all her blessings. While many fall into the trap of becoming servants to their money and things, she never allowed these to become her focus. She treated her financial blessings as tools to be used in the service of God. She was prompt and generous in helping those in need, in supporting gospel preaching, and in supporting her local congregation. Quietly and without pretension, she helped everywhere she could.
Verse 15 is an expression of the author’s intention to meditate and focus on the Lord’s instruction. Bible study was not an occasional fancy for my grandmother. Her Bible and concordance were always out and used diligently. She spent many hours in study, especially in her later years. She thought and studied deeply and mined the Scriptures for all they had to offer. She truly set her mind on things above.
In verse 16, the writer expresses his joy in the word and says he will never forget it. The Bible was a joy to my grandmother. She loved the Scriptures and loved to study. She once told me she was so thankful that God allowed her to live for so long and gave her time to learn so much and come to such a deep understanding of His word. She did not forget His word. She was steadfast in her study and her love for the truth right to the end.
My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law (Ps. 119:136, ESV).
Verse 136 expresses the writer’s sorrow due to others’ disobedience. My grandmother’s Christianity was not a selfish pursuit. She cared deeply for the lost. Her heartfelt concern was that so many needed the gospel and needed someone to preach it to them. She was joyfully tearful in encouraging me in preaching and always asked if I had preached lately and intended to continue. She truly wanted everyone to be saved.
In her last days, she woke up for a time to visit with one of her sons. Before going back to sleep, she prayed a short prayer, asking God to forgive her if she had offended anyone or if she had done anything to keep someone from obeying the gospel, and also asked God to please hurry and take her home. Her dedication to God’s service and her confidence in her hope were inspirational to many. She is now gone on to her reward and will be sorely missed.
Author Bio: Dale Mercer is the grandson of Thelma Lea Mercer. Dale, and his wife, Leea, have two children. They live in Edna, TX and are members of the Robison Street church of Christ. He works as a civil designer/draftsman and preaches whenever he has the opportunity. He can be reached at lrd_jdale@hotmail.com.
