I sat in the church pew, listening to the pastor speak comforting words at my aunt's funeral. It was an exceptionally sad funeral, and my uncle's tearful words about his wife didn't leave a dry eye in the house. I looked down at the funeral brochure, and the immediately read the Bible verse on the top of the page:
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
It certainly caught my attention, considering I just had a powerful encounter with God around this verse the day before. God led me to still waters briefly the day before, but one day we will get to rest by still waters for eternity. That's where my aunt is, and one day we will be there, too. Your story, if you are in Christ, has a really good ending.
The graveside service took place outside in 107 degree heat. It felt like a furnace. As we stood, sweltering in the heat, a van pulled up and an elderly woman got out with a walker. She was wearing a dress and a hat was fastened to her head. She must have been in her nineties. As soon as my uncle saw her, he rushed over to help her navigate her walker through the grass of the cemetery.
We found her a chair, even though she offered to stand. "I'm not family," she said, "family should have the chairs."
Our family quickly disagreed. There was no way we were going to sit while she stood in 107 degree temperatures. She was a friend of my aunts, and she wanted to be sure she paid her respects. As soon as she heard the news of my aunt's passing, she said she began to call for rides to make sure she could attend the graveside service.
We should all have such good friends. She had no business being in that type of heat, but you would have never known it. She nodded and said amen while the pastor said the final words of goodbye for my aunt. Afterwards, she shook hands with the family even though she must have been terribly uncomfortable.
Years of obedience to God is really spectacular. As I watched her, I thought about how this is probably the way she lived her life, putting others first. Our love for God and our love for each other is the most important thing to Him. All He really wants is for us to love Him, and out of that love do the best we can to serve and obey Him. In the midst of unrelenting heat, she was an example of this to me.
I couldn't help but wonder when was the last time I put myself out to this extent for a friend?
As we left the service and climbed into the car for the long drive home, I asked my kids how they were doing. "I'm so glad we came," my son said, sweating through his suit. "It was important."
"Mom," my daughter said, "I want to spend more time with our extended family."
I smiled, knowing she was starting to see the things that truly matter in life. God can use the oddest situations to teach the most important lessons.
He loves us so very much.
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