Colossians 1:11-13
“I pray that God’s great power will make you strong, and that you will have joy as you wait and do not give up. I pray that you will be giving thanks to the Father. He has made it so you could share the good things given to those who belong to Christ who are in the light. God took us out of a life of darkness. He has put us in the holy nation of His much-loved Son.” Colossians 1:11-13 (NLV)
Today we went to another funeral in our former church – the second funeral in ten days. They were both good men. No one questioned why they died. Walt was 92; Don was 87. The families wept, of course, but these men’s lives were celebrated in ways in which their loved ones could take comfort.
Walt was a self-educated man. He didn’t go to school past the 8th grade. He served in the Seabees. He figured out how to operate equipment he had only seen before. He raised a family. Over the last 15 years, Walt learned Spanish and high German on-line. He was able to figure out computers on his own. He was on FB and wished Happy Birthday to friends and family in either one of the languages he had learned. Then he translated his words for those of us who didn’t know either language. His life was celebrated.
Don graduated high school. He farmed for 45 years. He raised a family. He managed a custodial staff for another 15 years. He cared for his wife who has dementia. The pastor talked about how Don and his wife had cared for his young son during church services while he preached. The son was an acolyte for the service today. Don’s life was also celebrated.
Ordinary lives of two good men. Walt and Don are now sharing “the good things given to those who belong to Christ who are in the light.”
Yes, we can be sad. Yes, we can mourn. We can also rejoice for their lives and the blessings they are receiving.
Prayer:
We pray.
Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of life and light. We weep and we rejoice. Be with families who are experiencing the loss of loved ones. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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