Last week, we attended a simple and beautiful funeral service for Agnes' grandma Mary. The dear soul has departed and she is now safe in the arms of Jesus and free from pain and sorrow. Praise God that she had received God's gift of salvation and is dressed in God's own rigtheousness to enter into heaven!
I am told that people do not bring children for funerals. Some because they are "pan tang". Superstitious. Chinese culture is fulll of superstitions. Thank God that because of what I understand from the Word of God, I am free from superstitions because I know God is master over everything and anything that happens in life and death are in His perfect control.
Leviticus 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
Galatians 4:9-11 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Yes, my children did walk around the casket and gaze upon grandma Mary's peacefully reposed body. I'm glad I had the opportunity all through to talk to my younger ones about where is grandma Mary's soul is now in heaven and it is only her body that is here and committed to the ground.
I think the other reason that people do not bring their children to funerals is because some children do not know how to behave at such occasions! :(
This was the burial on Friday morning.
As far as possible within our power, we believe in burying our dead and not cremating the body. In land scarce Singapore, cremation is the norm.
In baptism (by immersion) is a picture of the death, burial and ressurrection of the believer, just as Jesus died, was buried and raised the 3rd day. Baptism alludes not only the the death to the sinful old self and rising in the newness of life in Christ, but also to the future fulfillment of prophecy that the power of death will be destroyed. O glorious DAY! Likewise, we believe in burying our dead because it is an act of faith that one day, Jesus will return (before the 7 year tribulation) and the graves will open and those bodies in the graves will be brought up to meet the souls in the air.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christians should bury their dead because cremation is not a Christian practice in origin and fire in the Bible is always a picture of judgement.
To bring my children for funerals (this was not their first) is for me, part of their education. It is good for them to learn that the Bible says that all who die in Christ "sleep" only to be awakened in glory and to see it first hand. Children do face death, either their own or their loved ones'. It is good for them to learn from the Bible all they can about what it is to prepare for it. Isn't it a blessed thing that God teaches us in His Word and we don't have to be afraid?
In fact, I was glad when no. 3 (7 yrs) told me after returning home, Mom, I have learned a lot about death. I didn't understand so much at the last funeral when I was younger but now, I understand more.
Dear Lee family, thank you for your wonderful testimony and personally caring for your grandmother through all her health struggles. It is a great lesson to me about sacrifice and love. God bless and comfort you during this time of loss.
_________________________
Agnes' blog: http://finding--myself.blogspot.com/
Comments