Yesterday, at our
building, there occurred an event that was both sad, and yet, celebrative in
nature. We met to commemorate the life of our beloved Brother, Jess
Garcia whose soul went home to God last Monday morning. (Eccl.
12:7) It was sad because it brought home to us the fact that Jess’s
earthly “house” won’t be present with us anymore. But, at the same time,
we celebrate the fact that we had him with us for 89 years with all the
memories those years have left in our minds. I ask you, isn’t our ability
to remember a great blessing from God?
Ever since yesterday’s
service, I’ve been thinking about opining about the event of “death” and I think that I’ll
do so for our spiritual lesson today because it occasionally touches all
of our lives. Perhaps, with God’s help, I can say something that answers
a question you may have or provides some comfort to you when these occasions
happen.
One of the last things
Jess said to me last Sunday before worship started was that he had
“graduated.” I asked what from and he pointed to his cane hanging on the
pew in front of him. For the past month or so, he had been using a
“walker” to get around due to a recent surgery. Yes, in more ways than
one, Jess did “graduate.” From an temporal existence in a body subject to
all the ills and trials of this world to a perfect existence with Jesus and the
Father.
I’ve mentioned this
phrase before, but it’s just so appropriate when talking about the occasion of “death.” It’s a line
from an old western movie wherein an old cowboy says, regarding the life and
death of one of the characters, “We
travel between the eternities.” What a wonderfully poetic way
of describing our earthly lives. We came from an eternity and we return
to it. In between, we occupy this human form.
Speaking of traveling,
I’ve seen another description presented about our living an earthly life and it
was presented as a train ride. We board the train at birth and meet our
parents. Later on, at some station in the future, our parents step down
from the train and we travel on.
There’ll be others
significant in our lives boarding the train as we go along. IE: Our
siblings, friends, the love of our life and children. Many of our fellow
passengers will step off the train at various stations and they’ll leave a
permanent vacuum in our lives. Along the way we’ll experience joys and
sorrows, successes and failures, hellos and goodbyes.
There’s a mystery
involving our train ride and that is, we don’t know at which station we
ourselves will step down. Knowing that, for us to be successful at the
arrival of our final station, we must live a righteous life as best we
can. We must love our God and love our neighbor with a true and faithful
heart. A life that, when we step down, will be one that leaves behind
beautiful memories for our fellow passengers as they continue on with their
train ride.
When I consider what a
“successful” life consists of I’m reminded of the story about a college student
who was required to write a research paper on “success” for his Psychology
class. For his research, he interviewed his elderly grandmother and asked
her to define success in her own words.
Here is her definition: “Success is when you look back at your
life and the memories make you smile.” I’m positive that
everyone who rode the train with Jess will look at his life and smile.
And, figuratively speaking, I’m just as sure that Jess would smile too.
I know that sometimes,
to our earthly and finite way of thinking, it just seems unfair that “good”
people die. But, “death”
is a fact of earthly life. It didn’t start off that way, but God told the
first man & woman on earth, that if they “ate of” the “forbidden” fruit, from that day on
“thou shall surely die.”
(Gen. 2:17) Thus, because man violated the only commandment he was
given, “death”
became a part of life.
Unfortunately that
includes all of us, the good and the bad. That fact is spelled out by God
in the writings of Job and you can read it in Job:21:23-26. Yes, the
“good” have to experience “death”
right along with everyone else. Just as we experience the “good and bad”
things of earthly life.
But, in speaking of the
“good” passing away, let me refer you to something God said, penned by the hand
of His prophet, Isaiah. I’ll use the NLT translation here. Isaiah
wrote: “Good people pass
away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or
wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from
the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace
when they die.” (Isa. 57:1-2)
Yes, even though we know
and understand that all are “appointed”
to die, it’s still hard to let them go, isn’t it? We still grieve over
their loss from our lives even though we also know that they are in paradise.
That they who “follow godly
lives” are “resting
in peace.” It’s only natural that we grieve. It’s a normal
thing to do when someone who has touched your heart is now separated from you.
There is a particular
phrase used several times in the Bible when referring to the “death” of someone.
It’s said that “they are
gathered to their people.” To me that is a beautiful and
comforting thought.
Sometimes I feel that
we’re almost selfish in a way when it comes to the “death” of our loved ones. Especially if
it’s the “death”
of a faithful Christian. We want them here with us where we can see them
when we want to. So that we can talk to them and enjoy what they bring to
our lives.
But, would it be fair to
deny them their “rest and
peace?” Especially one who had “labored” long and hard in “the Kingdom.”
Perhaps it would be better in that case that we remember what Jesus said in
Matt. 11:28: “Come
unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.”
If anyone has earned
their “rest,” it’s
Brother Jess Garcia.
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Covey
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