A Funeral Today

We are just home from a funeral. A seventy six year old man from our church suddenly passed away in his sleep on Friday morning. Bernie was a bachelor who lived with a bachelor brother and spinster sister. Yes, a rather unusual situation these days. Brother George passed away some years ago which left Bernie and Bernice to keep the home fires burning. These people have several siblings, it was a large family. It was always interesting to me the closeness both Bernice and Bernie expressed when talking about their family. This "odd couple", as it were, lived life to the fullest in the world of the Kingdom of God. Bernice talked often about the children in the neighborhood and her interaction and witness to them. Bernie was an active member of the team that went to minister in jail. He was also a mentor to Daniel, the young man in church who has Downs Syndrome. As Bernie's brother testified today, "Bernie loved Daniel and Daniel loved Bernie". Daniel's parents were sitting in the audience and though they had no apparent reaction, I knew that inside their hearts they were warmed and encouraged. It is not easy to be parents to a Down Syndrome child who is now an adult. These parents are in our small group and I have grimaced at some of the things they have shared that speak of pain endured. Bernie reached out to people in pain. He was a really neat guy. The Sunday prior to the Friday of his death, I saw him on my way into church. I had no idea that would be my last time to interact with him. I said, "Good Morning, Bernie, how are you?" In his soft spoken manner, he replied, "Not bad for a physical wreck." I chuckled and walked on. I guess I didn't really believe he was in as bad a condition as he knew he must be.

Life has a way of passing us by. We suddenly realize that the people we have seen for years are aging. Then we are reminded that we are aging also. I don't like to think of that much. There is too much life to live to worry about the years that are passing. I noticed that many of the family members that attended the funeral were experiencing struggles of old age. One had to be helped down the stage steps, another was walking with a walker, a sister was being pushed in a wheel chair. My heart hurt for us all. We are all in this together. The Word of God says that life is fleeting, like a flower in the field that blooms and then withers and dies. The effects of sin are showing. Death is the ultimate effect of sin. The Word also tells us that there is more to this things called life than what meets the eye. It is the unseen; both in this life and beyond the door through which we cannot see clearly.

I used to worry about passing through that door. I would concern myself about when and how it would be for me. The thought would walk through my mind that God would prepare me for that and take that fear away when the time came. The older I get and the more life I live assures me of God's faithfulness in all things, even death. Bernie is with Jesus now....no more pain...no more physical failures. One day I will be there too.....so will you. The Word again tells us truth....it says our eyes have not seen and our ears have not heard of all the wonders He has for us over there. If there is anything to rest in....it would be just that. Bernie is seeing and hearing those wonderful things.