Juna Mae Harmon

We gather this afternoon to remember and honor our sister in Christ Juna Mae Harmon.

There’s so much we could say about Juna Mae. I could talk about her love of cooking and entertaining. I have fond memories of going over to her house to eat. I remember one particularly big party. I think people were eating in every room of the house. She even had tables set up in the garage. The counters were filled with the food she’d prepared. I’m not sure anything brought her more joy than having someone over to eat.

Then there’s her flowers and plants. Her gardens were meticulously kept. I don’t remember ever seeing a weed. I would say they were all too afraid to stick their heads up in her garden, but I know that’s not true. What it showed was the hard work she put into taking care of her plants. If it was a warm day and she was home you could find her working in the yard.

I’d be amiss if I didn’t talk about her hat collection. She loved to collect hats. She wore hats and gave away hats and always had more than she knew what to do with.

And there was her love for her family. She took great pride in Jim, Mildred and the girls. She always filled me in on the latest news she had on how they were doing.

She loved being in church and greatly missed when she could no longer attend. And we have missed her. But more important than all of those was her love for her Savior.

The psalmist tells us that:

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. (Psalm 116:15)

The Bible gives us a different perspective on death than the world does. Death doesn’t seem precious to family members and friends who will miss those who have died. Death doesn’t seem precious to doctors who see it as a failure of their ability to sustain life. But to to God the death of his saints is precious because God knows the best place for us to be is with him. Could this be the reason why Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus? We read in 1 Corinthians:

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him. ( 1 Corinthians 2:9)

Lazarus had a taste of eternity and Jesus was bringing him back to life. His sisters, Mary and Martha, would be excited about it. The friends of Lazarus would be grateful. But perhaps Jesus wept for Lazarus, knowing he would have to leave the wonders of heaven.

The Bible tells us that there is more than just the world we see and touch. The Bible talks about the city of God where streets are paved with gold. The Bible tells us about eternal life in heaven where there will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain.

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

With all the Bible tells us about heaven and eternal life we can see why the death of his saint is precious in the Lord’s sight.

We know that death is not the end, but only the beginning of eternal life in the presence of a loving God. So this afternoon we gather with sad hearts knowing we will miss Juna Mae, but as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, we don’t grieve as the world that has no hope for anything beyond the grave.

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

So we gather this afternoon knowing the promises of God that Juna Mae is now with he heavenly Father. We are sad that she is no longer with us, but we can rejoice in her new home.