The Funeral

One of the great privileges of being a minister is walking with people through life’s big events.  One of which is the saying goodbye to a loved one.  It is a great privilege being involved in funerals.  I always try to encourage family involvement for they can bring alive the person whose life we are celebrating more so than I can.  But I recognise this is a difficult thing to do.  I have been moved to hear the many eulogies and tributes.  Every story is very different but every one hard for the teller to say.  Because of this I have a fall back plan where I ask for a copy of the ‘talk’ and if the reader cannot get through it I can then finish the tribute.  However, I have never needed to do this.  When I see someone struggling, tears, looking unable to finish the talk, I or a member of the family just go and stand with the reader, often just placing an arm round them or placed on the back and that is all that is needed.  They suddenly find the strength to complete the task. 

This is my experience of God!  Rarely do the difficulties ahead get taken away or painful experiences disappear.  But the joy of being a Christian is that God comes close and walks the journey with you.  Whatever we go through God is with us, giving us strength, filling us with his presence and guiding us to hope.  Isaiah 43:2 says ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fires, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze’.  Whatever you are going through, whatever struggles lay ahead, whatever things are keeping you awake at night, may you know God coming near and putting his arm around you and walking with you. 

One funeral I did was for an incredible lady who died far too young of cancer.  As she was dying she helped me write my ‘address’.  She asked me too include this poem by the great AA Milne which I will finish this blog with.  This was her experience as she battled cancer and faced death.  God was with her… God was with her… God is with her…  In fact that is the heartbeat of the bible, God is with you… God is with you… God is with you…  May you know this!  Why not ask him to walk with you?

Us Two by AA Milne

Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?" says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together," says Pooh.

"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh.
("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)
"I think it ought to be twenty-two."
"Just what I think myself," said Pooh.
"It wasn't an easy sum to do,
But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what it is," said Pooh.

"Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh.
"Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
"Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.
"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That's what they are," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what they are," said Pooh.

"Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.
"That's right," said Pooh to Me.
"I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew.

"I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he,
"I'm never afraid with you."

So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
"What would I do?" I said to Pooh,
"If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,
It isn't much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh.