Final Remarks

It seems as if I have been part of more funerals than usual lately. It's obviously always a difficult time for family and friends as they mourn the loss of someone they cared for so deeply. As a pastor you try to do the best you can to share an accurate representation of who they were while steering loved ones to the hope that is found in Christ. When people are appreciative of our efforts after the funeral we tell them that their loved one made it easy on us. They had been writing these words for us by the way they lived their lives. 

We are all writing our own eulogies as we live. Our character is having a consistent impact on those that are close to us and forging strong bonds that will last long after we are gone. While I don't think we can live healthily by overanalyzing every word & action, we should still give some consideration to the legacy that we leave behind. 

A life that is lived well by focusing on serving others will give us a foundation for positive impact. When we seek to honor God through the way we live it becomes less about our reputation and more about our allegiance to Him. That speaks a message that is so strong it will last long after we have breathed our last here.

Greater Than: God > death

Death is a morose subject, but since it is inevitable we will all eventually deal with it in some way. We may strive to avoid it, but death runs faster and longer than we do and will eventually catch us. It's why we can gain confidence when we hear Jesus say that He is the resurrection and the life. Death may find us, but it will not hold us when we are Christ followers. He assures us that our commitment to Him will allow Christ's sacrifice to cover for our sins and bring us life forever with Him. It instills a sense of peace in us to know that God has our eternity planned.

This isn't just about seeing people we love again or having a good time in heaven--it's about recognizing that we need something only God can give us. He is the One that makes everything right again.