It Takes A Funeral

"Death can be a powerful teacher."

One of the pastors at my uncle's funeral made that statement.

It's tempting to forget that death is real. It's coming.

After a long battle with cancer, my uncle's life on earth ended.

So many thoughts have run through my mind the past five days as I've been with my family.

We've had to say goodbye to a man we love.

Many tears were shed.

and

yet

What a comfort it was for all of us to know heaven has one more resident.

Death where is your sting?

When a loved one dies who you know is going to heaven, what a wonderful feeling...even in the midst of all the pain...to be able to look death in the eye and say...

"Bring it sucka. We're not afraid of you. You have no power here."

Comfort

such a comfort

My aunt and uncle have been married forever. It will be very strange to think of her without him.

I could not be more thankful for the times I watched my aunt serve my uncle over the past few years.

"In sickness and in health."

We all say it on our wedding day.

I've just never thought of the "in sickness part" because Aaron is well. He's healthy.

Seeing my aunt love my uncle during his sickness...meet his needs, serve him, love him, care for him...my life is changed and enriched because of what I got to see.

I'm forever touched by her love for him.

I was comforted this week by God's Word, knowing my uncle is in heaven. I was also grateful for the time I watched my aunt serve her husband.

But I was also reminded, through the life and death of my uncle that death is real.

Life ends.

Unless Jesus comes back, we will all have a funeral.

Proven fact:

1 out of 1 people will die.

What a wonderful teacher death can be as it forces us to examine our lives.

Most importantly, do we know the Lord?

We were told at the funeral to examine and test ourselves to see if we know God.

The tricky thing is, we don't get to make up our own test for whether or not we know Him.

God says to examine ourselves and then HE tells us how to know if we belong to Him.

We don't get to say, "Well...I'm pretty good. I do a lot of good things. I went to church as a child. I said a prayer when I was 18."

Hell will be filled with "nice, good" people who cried one time in church.

Going to church and being a nice person might be good things, but God never says those are the things that are on the "test" (if you will) for whether or not we belong to God.

I was reminded this weekend that death isn't just about where we spend eternity. That's important, but God is so loving. His Word teaches believers how to live...not just where they are going when they die. I'm thankful that His Word is a constant reminder to us about what is important. Before God saved me, I am positive I would have not only died and gone to hell, but I would have also died and had a funeral where there was nothing good to say about my life.

Apart from salvation and God lovingly teaching me how to live, there is no way I'd be married today. I can't imagine the home my kids would be growing up in. I would be a horrible friend. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have any friends. I would be selfish and materialistic. I still struggle with those things every day, but God is graciously teaching me a new way...I'm so grateful.

I was overcome by God's grace and His love this week.

Aaron made the video below a couple years ago. I'm putting it online again today because of the truth it contains. God is loving. He is merciful. He doesn't want anyone to go to hell. So, He gives us clear pictures in scripture to help us examine our hearts and our lives.



These scriptures in this video are not meant to condemn us. They are meant to free us from deception. I think it's easy to trick ourselves into thinking we are saved if we use our emotions as the test. But are we saved according to scripture? That's the only question that matters. Do we know Jesus? Do we love him? And what's the test for whether or not we love God? Obedience. Is there fruit of salvation in our lives?

God is good. He came to give us life. The enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy. Apart from Christ, we already stand condemned. God didn't come to condemn us! He came to free us from the guilt and sin we're born into as humans. He came to break the chains of sin...free us from slavery and instead adopt us into His family. He is good. He is gracious. He can be trusted.

It sounds so cliche to ask, "What do I want people to say about me when I'm gone?"

Cliche or not, I found myself asking that question.

Will God get glory in the way I loved Aaron and loved my children? Will God be glorified through my life as I loved others, loved my friends, my neighbors and God's people?

Does my life point to the faithfulness and grace of God?

Will my death cause people to take comfort in the gospel?

Will that room be filled one day with people that I knew whose lives had been touched and changed through God's love and mercy on display through my life?

Will my family know how deeply I loved them because of how deeply I was loved by God?

Will the people in my life know more about God's love because they knew me?

Will the people in my life know more about God's grace...God's ability to rescue the nastiest of sinners...to change them...because they knew me?

I could write all day about the things that have been running through my mind.

Death has indeed been a powerful teacher for me this week.