So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
There is a country song on the radio that has a chorus of “Till you can’t…” and it talks about all of the things in life that the singer wishes he could still do, but can no longer because the opportunity has passed. Often times, people have said to me that they want to plan for their funeral, but that it always gets put off until another day, and sometimes that day never comes. Recently, we have had two dear members of the congregation pass suddenly and their family was left with many decisions to make while trying to process their own grief. While the Bible does say, “today has enough problems of its own” why worry about tomorrow, it also talks about sowing seeds when the time is right.
One way that you can sow seeds of faith is by planning for your funeral. When planning you have the chance to bring to mind all of those lessons of faith that you have spent years handing down. This can be done by picking your favorite Bible verses or hymns to sing. You might consider writing a letter for your loved ones to read, or share with them what your hopes for their life would be without you present in their life anymore. You might just want to remind them that this is not the end. They do not need to be afraid or dismayed for God is with them, upholding them with God’s righteous hand. While it can be difficult to plan and discuss with your family, it is also a chance to use a sad event to bear witness to the hope that we have in Christ. If you are ready to make plans, consider attending the Adult Sunday School class on July 24th when I will be sharing in more detail with you about the meaning of our funeral service, and get you started on how to write up a funeral plan.