Doug doing one of many things he enjoyed, flying kites on the beach with his children.

My brother-in-law Doug Rhine passed away on Sunday after a three-year battle with cancer. In this picture, he’s doing what he enjoyed with people he loved. David and Kathryn, now in their mid 20s, are helping him fly a kite, or maybe he’s helping them fly the kite. And where’s Kathy? She’s taking the picture. Doug loved Kathy selflessly and devoted himself to David and Kathryn.

One of the most intelligent people I have ever met, he asked questions and he made us think.  He loved to teach because then he could then study and learn new things. He led numerous small groups and taught Alpha classes for people who were looking for answers about their faith.

Doug knew so much about so many things, and we could count on him to find the funny twist. Even though he was frequently the smartest person in the room, he was kind enough to listen to the rest of us, and he made us think that maybe we might be the smartest person in the room.

Doug had a great sense of humor. He loved old movies and could quote lines from most of them. He remembered details like who starred in them and what awards they won. He had shelves of books, some he had read and studied, others he had skimmed. He passed on his knowledge freely, but he waited to be asked first.

Doug generously gave away his time to groups like the youth at Knox Presbyterian Church, Cru high school students, and, of course, to his beloved Saline Fiddlers. Always a gig, or a trip, or a practice, and people to love and serve.

Doug lived out the truth of the gospel with his words and his actions. Almost a year ago, I stood with him at the window in his dining room overlooking the city of Chicago as he pointed to a group of red brick buildings down below. He told me how he walked to that neighborhood each week and tutored underserved students after school. I can’t think of a more patient mentor.

Together, he and Kathy took in that view, wondering how God might reach down from heaven and rescue the people of Chicago who have such pressing needs. The answer is one person at a time through people like Doug and Kathy.

Kathy said it best. He made us think, he made us laugh and he made us better. Doug never once doubted God’s love for him or God’s plan for his life. He suffered much in his final days. Yet, when those of us around him said we were praying for him, he answered by saying he was praying for us, too, and for our friends he had never met who were also praying for him.

Some days there aren’t enough words. On other days, there aren’t any words, only sorrow. If Doug were here, he would remind us that death doesn’t get the final word.

We live in a world that’s broken, but it won’t stay this way. We grieve, but not like those without hope. And here’s the good news. Jesus died to pay for our sins, he defeated death when he rose from the dead, and He is coming back again to set all things right. That’s the gospel Doug preached with his words and his actions.

Sure, if it’s possible, heaven is a better place because Doug is there, but the sorrow we feel in our hearts causes us to miss him and to long for the coming of our Savior.