The "No Hope" Funeral

[Guest charlie]

Catsmeow I'm sorry to hear about your grief over your friend. I would say try not to worry about it but that's easier said than done and I'm a worry wart myself.

Anyway, I'm curious... you said:

Having just recently buried a lost loved one, I recall the many times I begged her to listen, send evangelical tapes, sent her scriptures, movies, and tried to talk to her about Jesus but got the "icey wall" that comes up everytime I did.

If I sent a video, she'd either send it back or just never open it.

Did she ever tell you that she didn't believe in Jesus Christ? Was she an atheist or was she a practicing Catholic?

So far, I agree with what Leonard said.

[Catsmeow]

My mother was living with her boyfriend, long after I continually warned her of the sin. She just grew indignant. She KNEW it was wrong!

I gave her scriptures warning her of this sin; she tore them up and grew angry.

She's seen about every movie about Christ that's been made and it never seemed to touch her heart.

I tried to talk to her about Christ, but she was a brick wall. She had an old family Bible....dusty. Never read it.

I wanted to talk to her but she would become livid if I brought up the subject of "religion". Jesus was a "religion"...not a Person.

She said she pays money to the church and goes now and then; that's good enough.

Everyone said she was a good Catholic, (whatever the heck that means).

She died very, very suddenly. It happened instantly.

Those who die slowly of sickness have time to contemplate their sins and ask for pardon, (like my father).

Those whose demise is sudden - what hope have they?

My youngersister died comatose after a drug/alcohol overdose. Her demise was certain.

My grandfather died a practicing pedophile, (I was one of his victims). He also died without hope.

My uncle, a self-professed atheist, died immediately of a brain aneurism.

One after another....perish.

My father had a brief time while he remained to ponder the Lord and his sins while he lay dying of a massive stroke. There is hope for him.

The rest....I have little confidence.

It's very painful when we see people we've loved pass away, knowing we'll never see them again.

[Guest charlie]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was your mom, that makes it even worse for you. My condolences.

[jmwhalen]

"...weep with them that weep." Romans 12:15

Ms. Catsmeow,

Being a former "Roman", I can both sympathize and empathize with your eloquent expression of your "depressing pain." My "biological family", which includes my parents and 3 brothers and 1 sister, are Roman Catholic. I was "religious" until about 6 1/2 years ago, when I heard the gospel of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, and the LORD, solely by His grace(Eph. 2:8.9), saved me. I understand that I can make no judgement as to anyone's justification, for "...The Lord knoweth them that are his"(2 Tim. 2:19), however, my heart grieves when I talk with "them that are lost.."(2 Cor. 4:3), about their understanding of "...the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."(Romans 3:24). I take comfort in the biblical truth that my responsibility is to communicate("preach the word"), not convict-this is the Holy Spirit's responsibility. My role is to be faithful, not successful-success is the LORD's responsibility. Interestingly enough, Noah is called "a preacher of righteousness"(2 Peter 2:5), and yet only 7 persons were saved by the LORD through his preaching. We should all take encouragement from this biblical principal.

Being in the financial services industry, and having some media experience, I thought the following

may be edifying. What I have learned:

1.

All news is old news happening to different people(Ecl. 1:9).

News, by definition, is something that already has happened.

Bad news sells.

Given all the bad news we seemingly get bombarded with everyday:

Our English word eulogy comes from the 2 Greek words: "eu", meaning 'good', and "logos", meaning 'word'.

"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me." John 11:41

Notice that death has a downward direction associated with it-the lowering of the body into the ground, the gaze of mourners' eyes , and

also the spirits of those from whom the loved one has been taken. In contrast, the Lord Jesus Christ lifted up his eyes in the midst of a funeral! In the midst of mourning and sorrow, of depression and darkness, he was thankful and focused his confidence on His Father hearing him-an example for us of perfect obedience to the will of His Father.

All of us, especially me, are so "earth-centered', when we should learn from our Lord. Paul put it this way in Colossians 3:2-4:

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

So much of "...this present evil world...."(Gal 1:4) will cause us to cast our eyes, spirits, attention, and focus("affection") downward, but we as

believers have even more reason than did the Lord Jesus Christ to lift up our eyes- to pray to the Father through our Lord, for He is there

at His right hand as our advocate- the risen, ascended, glorified Saviour and Lord!

2.I know you know this-I am "preaching to the choir", but I need to remind myself of this constantly, as do all Christians:

-The LORD God is more committed to me than I will ever be to Him.

-Biblical faith means I trust God-period. Not in a particular result, not in a happy ending. The LORD never promised me happiness. He promised me joy. Happiness is up to me. We trust in Him, knowing that whatever the particular outcome might be, life will still be "OK" because He is in control.

-My circumstances are not the verdict on God's love for me. The cross is the final verdict /word on this subject. I should not allow myself to assign an approval rating on God based on how He performs in the situations of my life.

-When I worry, which is very often, I "...grieve....the holy Spirit of God...."(Eph. 4:30). Worry is a sin because it focuses on the future, which is in God's hands. Worry is assuming more responsibility than God intended me to have.

3. You say, "I marvel at how short life is for me.....How quickly life perishes."

I have posted on my computer, along with Colossians 3:1-4, the following fact:

Approximately 120 people die in this world per minute:

http://www.biblehelp.org/mortality.htm

In Christ,

John Whalen

[Catsmeow]

On the simple, human side of the equation, all I can really think about is that I will never see her face or hear her voice.

This was the one person who never missed my birthday or Christmas; who patched my skinned up knees and attended my PTA meetings and made me do my homework.

It's hard to lose that, lost soul or not.

[Anonymous]

I grieve for long ago, for the loss of my first husband. He was a self proclaimed/practicing athesist. Seeds were planted many times... and he was taught the Bible at early age.

Others have reminded me, we do not know what transpired between them (those who passed away) and the Lord, .... before they breathed their last breath. May they did cry out to HIM!

Keeping you in prayer

Pam~