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Funerals are
often a bittersweet occasion. They are bitter because of
the grief and sadness that comes when we lose someone we
love. The sweet part is that when a person has lived a
long, Godly life we have the confidence of life eternal
through Jesus. Unfortunately, these days where we are
all so busy it seems that funerals are a time when
extended families have the opportunity to catch up with
each other. Such was the occasion for me this week as I
returned home to my aunt’s funeral.
After the funeral we went to my aunt’s home and had
lunch. It was good to catch up with many of my cousins.
In talking with one of my cousins, my mom mentioned that
I had a letter that her husband, who had died in a car
accident forty years ago, had written to me while he was
in Vietnam. At this she began to cry. She told me that
after he died she destroyed all the letters they had
written to each other while he was away. She said it was
just too painful to look at them. She asked me if I
would make a copy and send it to their daughter who was
just an infant at the time. Of course I told her I
would. However, after thinking about it I decided not to
send her a copy. I’m going to send her the actual
letter. The real thing will mean much more than a copy.
As I thought about how much the real letter might mean
to a daughter who never knew her father, I thought about
the condition of a fallen human race that only had
stories of their heavenly father. I thought about how
much we need the real thing. In Jesus we have the real
thing, not just a prophet of God, not just an angel of
God, not just an imperfect human priest offering
imperfect sacrifices at an imperfect tabernacle. In
Jesus we have the original, the Son of God.
In Matthew 16, Jesus asked Peter that famous question
that each of us are confronted with as well, “Who do you
say that I am?” Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son
of the living God.”
There is nothing in all of life that can replace Jesus.
In Him we now know God first hand. The world offers all
kinds of things that assure us of happiness, prosperity
and joy. But the truth is they are all poor copies of
what is found in the real thing, Jesus. Why would you
want a copy when you can have the original?
Love,
Fred |
