Note: Sorry, I meant to publish this Devotional by Michele this morning - my excuse is that I forgot that we switched the Devo day to Mondays instead of Tuesdays to accommodate the bi-weekly Bible study sessions! - Judi
Two weeks ago my husband and I attended the funeral service of a fellow believer that we had come to know from several years past. Now without sounding morbid, I must confess that I came away from the service realizing how much gratitude I've developed for the opportunity to attend such a service for a fellow pilgrim of whom God called home to be with Him. Of course, there is also much sorrow and pain for those of us who are left behind to grieve the loss of those we've come to know and love here on earth. Such sorrow is a huge part of our humanity and to be embraced openly and freely.
Yet amidst such sorrow, I've discovered that the funeral service of a fellow believer is truly a celebration of a life in Christ. This life in Christ is the same life to be celebrated every day by each one of us who have come to know and love Him personally.
My gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate this life in Christ at a funeral service can be expressed in three ways;
1. Gratitude for the reminder
2. Gratitude for the challenge
3. Gratitude for the encouragement
First, I'm grateful for the reminder a funeral service gives in that our life on earth is so short. Psalm 39:5 says; "Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapour." Although it is only God who knows and ordains the days given to us here on earth, He has made known to us that these earthly days are as handbreadths. The time of an earthly life we remember at a funeral service reminds us of this truth and it ought to lead us to the second way I'm grateful; which is the challenge to make my life on earth count for eternity.
2 Corinthians 5:14 says; "and He, (Christ), died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves but for Him who died and rose again." Is my life in Christ being lived utmost for Him? To be honest, I find the weights and sins in my own life so easily waste precious time and opportunity I've been given on earth to live the life I have in Christ. We need to be challenged continually to "...lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2a)
Third, I'm grateful for the encouragement I receive from a life in Christ celebrated at a funeral service. It is encouraging to reflect on the past days lives by a fellow believer who leaves us with memories of their own spiritual journey. A journey filled with joys and sorrows, struggles and blessings. All of which we are able to relate to some degree or another, and therefore draw encouragement from as we experience this thing called life together. It is also encouraging to reflect on the future glory days that have become reality for those whose lives we celebrate and one day too will be our own glorious reality!
And finally, this is the greatest encouragement of all found in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; 6:1a; "For we know that if our living earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens...always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him."
C.S. Lewis has said; "Those who have done most for the present world have been those who thought most of the next."
To be honest, I really don't want my gratitude to be based alone by the need to attend the funeral service of a fellow believer. Instead, my prayer is that this reminder, challenge and encouragement would be the truths that my life in Christ are being lived out day to day.
Living our lives with the perspective of eternity in mind will give us the strength for the challenges of today and the encouragement of hope for the eternal glory that yet awaits each of us! Now wouldn't you agree that this is alot to be grateful for?
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Thank you Michele for those sweet words: “Such sorrow is a huge part of our humanity and to be embraced openly and freely.” They are so very special to me.
ReplyDeleteA short time ago I returned home following being with my son while we buried his 2 ½ year old son. Amongst rivers of tears I had felt such peace and it was a precious time with the Lord as I felt Him hold me tight – just like he had promised. Yet the next morning when I went out to my home church the tears flowed so readily when people held me and told me how they had been, and were continuing to, pray for me. When a precious friend approached me and we were alone, I told her how frustrated I was that the tears were SO there. I shared with her that I was frustrated in that I had just experienced one of the most precious times in my life with the LORD. My Father then used her to be the voice of freedom as she said “your head may be fine but your heart is broken”.
We certainly are free to embrace our tears openly and freely – knowing that our Father is in total control, that we may be perplexed, but not in despair; (2 Cor. 4:8b - NKJV) and our broken hearts are in the tender loving hands of our Healer and Comforter.
Thanks for those thoughts Michele. I so agree with you. It will be 25 yrs ago at the end of July this year that I lost my Dad. It was on my birthday and in an accident. He was only 60yrs. old and so we were in shock big time. I too was held up by the Lord at that time but it took a long time before I could go to church and not a some point in the service have tears form, especially during worship, the music really touched my heart. I had a friend come to me at the time and say "I came to cry with you", after all these years that is the only comment I remember from that hard time. I am so thankful for my faithful Father in heaven who held me up then and during several other losses I have had, including my husband in 2003. The home going of a Christ follower truly is a celebration of life but as you have said it is also a time of grieving for those left behind. Matt. 5:4 says "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted", through our grief we find the comfort God has for us and the strength to carry on.
ReplyDeleteThank you June and Lynn for sharing your own painful experiences from the loss of loved ones. I too suffered the loss of my Dad in 2003. As you already know, there are and always will be moments of feeling that loss acutely, no matter how much time passes. Yet intermingled with that pain are moments of genuine joy just thinking about him being in Heaven and wondering what our reunion will one day be like.
ReplyDeleteThis reflection has also reminded me of the present trial our family is facing as my mother-in-law has advanced lymphoma and not given much more time to live. She is not a believer and resistant to know the Truth. My husband and I would appreciate your prayers, that God's Spirit would break down the walls of her heart to know her need of the Saviour.
My prayers will definitely be with your family at this time. God Bless you both. June
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