USA Today reported that many memorials are being conducted with unique and personalized eulogies without any mention of God or the hereafter. Seems families are opting for a more religiously sanitized celebration than a gospel laced exhortation to the grieving families.
I have planned my memorial service. It started because of my penchant for writing poetry and songs. One day for some reason I wrote what I would like on my Tombstone. I opt for the celebatory memorial. It goes like this:
A Husband, a Father, a Friend for a time
He has now come to the end of the line
Since our gracious God was merely a lender
Would you please, return him to sender?
What about you? Have you thought or planned for your memorial service?
Do you prefer the typical funeral or a celebratory memorial event?
What say ye?
5 comments:
If I die before Mrs. Geezer I have instructed her to make sure the Gospel is preached at my funeral.
The Bible talks about the death, preperation burial, crying and grieving at funerals, but
I don't see any examples that look like our modern day funerals.
As with most things in our day and age funerals are just another way to make a buck!
My wife and I opted to "preach the Gospel" at our wedding, even extending an invitation!
We now regret doing so. I think it's that whole Time and place for everything, thought.
If I could choose (and who can?), if I knew I were about to die, I'd like to walk (or be assisted) out to a pleasant spot on the rural acreage of some friends and sit beneath a tree, watching the setting sun and valley below until I passed on. My beloved wife and children and as many friends as who were up to it could gather around me, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders if the weather were cool.
And when I was gone on, they could dig a whole right there, wrap my carcass in the blanket and bury me near the tree overlooking the valley. I'd hope they could sing a happy, gracious song or two and say a kind word or two about me, comfort one another and rejoice that I'd gone on to be with my Maker.
IF I could choose.
I would hope for a simple Gospel service. I would want to forego the wailing and crying and such, as aren't I going home? Celebrate a life if you will, but don't spend a lot of time or money on this old body, as God willing, I will have a new one, and be with Him for eternity. Love and support those that are left behind until we meet again.
I, too, told my good buddy who is a pastor to bring the gospel to my funeral. Amidst the gospel, I want people to celebrate that I'm forever with Christ...as I already am!
On the flip side, I'm always saddened when I attend "memorial" services at funeral homes, simply because it usually (not always, but usually) indicates the person didn't know Jesus Christ as Savior before their death, and therefore, didn't know the rich blessing of being involved in the fellowship of believers of God's family.
A Pastor once told me that Funnerals were one of the best opportunities to present the gospel because "where you are going to spend eternity?" has just came into view as mortality is reality at this moment. It is a time of grieving for the loss of a loved one, who touched our life and there is no denyng that we shall miss them and remember the moments that we had. That is natural. Because Jesus Christ is their Savior and Lord they are in Heaven for eternity, and this salvation and victory must be proclaimed also ... and I guarentee our loved one in the kingdom of God would want it no other way. Honor the deceased, but reach the lost. God bless you!
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