The funeral
Chris's funeral was today. It was in a high school gym and it was full.
It will be a long haul for them.
This morning during my devotions I was thinking about them. The prayer book I was using quoted from Zechariah's song in Luke 1.
"In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace."
I'm sure their world has seemed dark since the day Chris died, and right now their lives are shadowed by death. The promise of a dawn from on high that comes from God's compassion and leads to the way of peace is what I would ask for them.
The funeral ended with a rousing hymn of praise. When someone young dies like this it is natural to ask why God allowed it to happen. You want to know, why didn't God prevent it. I know that doesn't make sense. People are dying all over the world from unnecesary illness, and from starvation, and from violence. We somehow expect God to protect us differently than everyone else. But anyway, issues of faith come up more strongly when a young person dies. So singing a hymn that blatantly praises God is an affirmation of faith in the midst of that. It moves me.
However, as the second verse started, Chris's young wife along with her parents and her in-laws, stood. It was clear that they were not just praising God because that was the 'right' thing to do. They were honoring God in their pain. "Though he slay me, yet I will hope in him..." Job 13:15. The picture of that, of those five people standing up with determination, and then the multitude in the gym following their example---that will stay with me for a long time.
It will be a long haul for them.
This morning during my devotions I was thinking about them. The prayer book I was using quoted from Zechariah's song in Luke 1.
"In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace."
I'm sure their world has seemed dark since the day Chris died, and right now their lives are shadowed by death. The promise of a dawn from on high that comes from God's compassion and leads to the way of peace is what I would ask for them.
The funeral ended with a rousing hymn of praise. When someone young dies like this it is natural to ask why God allowed it to happen. You want to know, why didn't God prevent it. I know that doesn't make sense. People are dying all over the world from unnecesary illness, and from starvation, and from violence. We somehow expect God to protect us differently than everyone else. But anyway, issues of faith come up more strongly when a young person dies. So singing a hymn that blatantly praises God is an affirmation of faith in the midst of that. It moves me.
However, as the second verse started, Chris's young wife along with her parents and her in-laws, stood. It was clear that they were not just praising God because that was the 'right' thing to do. They were honoring God in their pain. "Though he slay me, yet I will hope in him..." Job 13:15. The picture of that, of those five people standing up with determination, and then the multitude in the gym following their example---that will stay with me for a long time.
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