Reflecting on Another First

Last week I thought I was going to have an "easy" week generally speaking. Sunday would only consist of preaching once due to the interdenominational service at the Gospel Jamboree in the morning. I figured I would have an easier week and get some visits that needed to be done. Plus we were having some friends come Friday night, so I thought I could get some things done on time.

Things were going well, and I had the sermon done by Wednesday evening. I was golfing Thursday with someone from church, so things were going well. I got home Thursday from golfing and there was a message on my phone from someone looking for some help. Her brother was 27 years old and had died from an accident he was in earlier in July. She said they could not find anyone to help them out with the funeral. They were really running stuck.

So, obviously they did not really have a church connection to speak of since they did not have anyone to do the service. I thought, since I have extra time I could help them out. The sister had called me back saying her mom had found someone else, which was fine, but then called back again a few minutes later asking if I could still do it. She really wanted a Christian minister to do the funeral. Even though there was no direct connection to a church, there was a sense of needing a Christian minister to do the funeral.

This whole situation was a little more frustrating then I thought it would be. I met with the mother on Friday and went over the order of the service. She told me her daughter would get back to me on a couple of different scripture readings. I started to put some things together for the message. But I was waiting for the sister to get back to me. She never did. I got up Saturday morning at 6:30 to put the message together.

Saturday the funeral was going to be at 11:00 at at a hall on the Reservation. I didnt know how to get there, so I asked the funeral home. They gave me some bad directions. I went passed a certain town for a while, then turned around and went back to ask for directions. They did give me good directions, but I didnt realize how far out the hall would be on gravel roads. It made for a stressful drive, but I got there 25 minutes early. But the whole family didnt really show up until 11:25 or so.

We got the service going and I was informed of some changes and as we went through, some werent there who were supposed to be. The graveside service was really interesting. They wanted to watch the casket lowered all the way as well as the lid being put on the grave. They then threw luggage into the grave packed with his clothing I assume. Then people threw dirt on the grave as well. It was sure different then what I was used to.

Looking back on the whole service and graveside it was interesting to be a part of. The question I ask myself, Would I do it again? At this point I dont know. I am glad I was able to help a family out in their time of grieving. It is a privilege to be with a family through this time, yet there wasnt a personal connection with the family as I would with a family in the church. Where is the family at in their faith life? Could I be one step in a line of steps to get this family to believe? I dont know. Did they hear the message of the gospel, how does it affect them? Ultimately it is up to God to work in their lives. I guess that is what it means to be an instrument of God. All I can do is bring the message, and God can work in their lives. Overall, it was very interesting to say the least. But yet there are a lot of questions still in my mind.