Blake's Story

Blake’s Hope

 

As the most playful, kind, unhurried kid Blake radiated life in a ridiculously glorious manner.

It’s possible Blake was more alive than you might have known.

The bookends of his days are April 9, 1997 and January 28, 2012, but no date is more important than the otherwise mundane winter day of February 2, 2006. On this day Blake placed his hope in someone far greater than himself, in someone far more alive than himself. In placing his trust in Jesus Christ he began a relationship with God and became alive in a new way:

Text below found written in Blake’s Bible

“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” The Gospel of John, Chapter 17, verse 3.

When men and women were created they possessed true life because they were intimately connected to God, the only truly alive One in the universe.

But in a-worst-than-a-bad-dream moment rebellious humanity spurned God, and all of creation and each person in it, spiraled away from God, into death. Ultimately, Blake died because of this moment. And because of this moment each of us will die; Blake just happened to beat us to it.

In response to this disaster, and in the greatest rescue of all time, the Author of life — the only One who could answer the rebellion, took on humanity, lived the life we should, was executed to pay the just payment for human rebellion, and rose from the dead. Jesus Christ conquered death in order to offer true, everlasting life to all those who, though physically alive, suffer from the curse of physical death and from being separated from God.

When Blake placed his hope in Christ, he became intimately connected to God and inherited a life that can never fade, because God himself doesn’t fade.

Think of this amazing reality: the very moment Blake lost his physical life on an electrical tower, God instantly made him more alive than ever.

The tennis-playing, endearing, creative Blake we’ll always love and miss was a young man shaped by his relationship with Christ. His “Grandmommy,” in fact, loved to say that Blake was going to grow up to be her “preacher man.” As Blake’s love for tennis grew, Grandmommy once asked him, “Are you going to be a tennis player instead of my preacher man? Blake quickly replied, “I will be a tennis player, but I will play to the glory of God!”

Popo, Grandmommy and Blake

 


It’s incredibly difficult for many of us to think of a world without Blake; his absence leaves an aching void. Yet even in his absence his life still blesses us. Sure, through our cherished memories of him, but also that through his life and death life we are pointed to something greater than Blake: to the God who gave him life, to the God who was his hope and rescuer, and to the God who is greater than death.

In fact, it might be Blake’s greatest gift to you that through his life and death you might be drawn to consider the hope of his life, Jesus Christ. Blake for sure would like that.

If God seems to be speaking to you through Blake’s life, sudden death, and hope, you might find this short article called “How to know God” by Dr. Tim Keller helpful

It can be found here.

Another similar presentation is “2 ways to live

You might find local churches as helpful places to inquire about Blake’s God. If you’re in the Triangle area you might consider www.summitrdu.com, www.biblechurch.org and www.cgsonline.org