Preaching My Mother's Funeral

[Greg Merrill]

4-9-14 Been thinking about... The Recent Passing of My Mother into Glory.
What a comfort it is to know the Lord, know His Word pretty good, and to know that my mother knew the Lord, and now is with Him in glory. She left her body at about 6:50 pm, April 1, and arrived in Heaven at about 6:50 pm as well. I officiated at her graveside service on April 7, with about 25 family members present. The gospel was clearly presented, along with the joy of knowing my Mom was in Heaven, and I would see her again some day as I have never seen her in such radiance before. Some family members seem to hang on every word. Some only politely listened. Others willfully looked away from me, while still others physical drifted away to let there small children walk among the graves. One day Jesus will sit upon a Great White Throne, and every single lost person there will be hanging on His every word, for it will be the last time in eternity that they will spend outside of a lake of fire. Those of the saved, who are not being judged, but who will be there strictly as observers, they too will be hanging on every word, for it will be the last time they ever see or even think of these lost ones. Eternal torment, or eternal joy, oh how awesome this is.

 

[faroukfarouk]

For the believer, "absent from the body..present with the Lord".

 

[Tinker Grey]

Yup. Paradise is only paradise if someone else is suffering.

 

[Hidden In Him]

4-9-14 Been thinking about... The Recent Passing of My Mother into Glory.
What a comfort it is to know the Lord, know His Word pretty good, and to know that my mother knew the Lord, and now is with Him in glory. She left her body at about 6:50 pm, April 1, and arrived in Heaven at about 6:50 pm as well. I officiated at her graveside service on April 7, with about 25 family members present. The gospel was clearly presented, along with the joy of knowing my Mom was in Heaven, and I would see her again some day as I have never seen her in such radiance before. Some family members seem to hang on every word. Some only politely listened. Others willfully looked away from me, while still others physical drifted away to let there small children walk among the graves. One day Jesus will sit upon a Great White Throne, and every single lost person there will be hanging on His every word, for it will be the last time in eternity that they will spend outside of a lake of fire. Those of the saved, who are not being judged, but who will be there strictly as observers, they too will be hanging on every word, for it will be the last time they ever see or even think of these lost ones. Eternal torment, or eternal joy, oh how awesome this is.

 

[Greg Merrill]

For the believer, "absent from the body..present with the Lord".

Hallelujah!!

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Others willfully looked away from me,

you got some atheists in your extended family Greg?

 

[Greg Merrill]

you got some atheists in your extended family Greg?

My father claimed to be an agnostic, but was a practicing atheist. I can't think of any out right atheists in my family, just people that are either not followers of Jesus, or are not close to Him, even as Christians.

 

[Dave Watchman]

The Recent Passing of My Mother into Glory.
What a comfort it is to know the Lord, know His Word pretty good, and to know that my mother knew the Lord, and now is with Him in glory. She left her body at about 6:50 pm, April 1, and arrived in Heaven at about 6:50 pm as well. I officiated at her graveside service on April 7, with about 25 family members present. The gospel was clearly presented, along with the joy of knowing my Mom was in Heaven, and I would see her again some day as I have never seen her in such radiance before.

I'm sorry for your loss Greg. I know now that we'll all meet again at the resurrection, but I'm still sorry for your loss. My Mom died ten years ago when I was 44. I did a big funeral for her in Toronto. About 350 people came including the retired Chief of Police. I read a eulogy in front of them all, no fear. Then we put her in the Dodge Caravan and drove her to Rochester Hills Michigan to do another funeral and then put her at the feet of her Mom. My brother and I were at the cemetery to make sure that the sextant dug the grave in the correct place.

But when they lowered her down into that hole, I was out of my mind with grief. I can't at this time even recall who was sitting next to me there. No words to describe the day after waking up to no Mom anymore, that empty dawn. I guess we can always be a kid when our mom is alive.

I wish that I was a strong believer back then, as you are now. Then I might not have grieved so much as others do who have no hope.

I ask in silence of One Most Divine
May all be blessed with a Mother like mine

- Kitty Wells, My Mother, 1950

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

My father claimed to be an agnostic, but was a practicing atheist. I can't think of any out right atheists in my family, just people that are either not followers of Jesus, or are not close to Him, even as Christians.

Yeah same as my family really. For a lot of us are afraid to rule out God completely, just in case He does exist.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

If I can just indulge a little Greg. Your mother's funeral reminds me of my own mother's funeral who died 25 years ago, aged 66. Of lung cancer. She was not a devoted Christian but I think that changed when she got the diagnosis, 6 months before her death. My biggest regret was being overseas in the last 6 months of her life. I think it triggered my brother's born again Pentecostal decision after being an apathetic Catholic for so long. Funerals really remind us of the big questions in life and to forget petty grievances between members of the family. At least that was my experience. "pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death" are the words of the Hail Mary that really stand out for me now, when I say that prayer. Funerals should make us stop and think what is really important, and am I letting myself be distracted from them in daily life.

 

[Desk trauma]

My father claimed to be an agnostic, but was a practicing atheist.

As an atheist I'm curious as what you mean by practicing atheist?

 

[Greg Merrill]

Yeah same as my family really. For a lot of us are afraid to rule out God completely, just in case He does exist.

Sad thing with that is that just believing in God doesn't change anything. The devils believe and tremble, the Word says. It doesn't matter whether a person believes intellectually in the existence of God or not. 1Jn 5:12 says what matters. "He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." If one has Jesus as Savior they go to Heaven. If they don't..., they don't.

 

[Greg Merrill]

As an atheist I'm curious as what you mean by practicing atheist?

One that lives like they believe there is no God, but that doesn't say there is no God, because they realize they would have to know a heck of a lot more than they actually know...to definitely say with authority and personal conviction, and accuracy that there is no God.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." If one has Jesus as Savior they go to Heaven. If they don't..., they don't

Theres no hedging your bets is there. In horserace gambling we can bet for the win or "each way". Only bet that Jesus is the Saviour or Son of God, for the win.

 

[Greg Merrill]

Theres no hedging your bets is there. In horserace gambling we can bet for the win or "each way". Only bet that Jesus is the Saviour or Son of God, for the win.

Bet that he is, and receive Him personally as well. Gifts do us no good, unless we receive them and use them for their intended purpose.