Dr. Robert R. (Rocky) Laha, Jr. served as the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Shreveport from 1997-2006. Below is an excerpt and a link to the sermon Rocky preached on January 30, 2011 at The Old Presbyterian Meeting House, Alexandria, Virginia after the death of his son, Rob.
Psalm 130; Romans 8:18-‐27, 31-‐39
I stand here before you today to tell you that what you have heard all of your life is true, there is nothing worse than the loss of one’s own child. I am well acquainted with death. I have experienced the death of countless numbers of people over the years-‐ some old, some young, some well‐known, others less so‐ and I can tell you that each and every one of them was dearly loved by their families, their churches, and by me, their pastor. I have also experienced the death of most of my family members -grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins. I dug the graves of my mother and my father and laid them to rest with my own hands. But in terms of their effects on me, there is not a one of those deaths or burials that can compare to the death of my son, Rob. It feels as though something or someone has reached into my chest and torn my heart into pieces.
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The full text of the sermon can be found at The Problems and Promises of Waiting
In memoriam: Robert R. Laha III; February 1, 1979 – December 19, 2010
A memorial was held on February 1, 2011 at Centenary College. The program, which includes more on Rob’s life, can be found at Rob Laha Memorial
