Mom’s Graveside Service

The book of Ecclesiastes tells us that…

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 ESV

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Committal

But it also tells us there will be a time for resurrection. Scripture teaches that the body that dies will be raised. The soul will one day return to this body and be raised. Immortal, imperishable and incorruptible.

1 Corinthians 15:51–55 ESV

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

So, in the light of those promises God has given us in His Word and in as much as it has pleased the Lord in His sovereign wisdom and purpose to take from our midst one whom we have loved, we now come to the time to commit her body to its final resting place to await the fulfillment of another promise of Scripture.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, writing to the Thessalonians church, the Apostle Paul wrote:

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 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. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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. Therefore encourage each other with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the glorious hope and for the great consolation concerning those who sleep in Jesus as believers in Christ. that our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a place for those who have placed their faith in Him, and that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And now for the family, for the loved ones and friends we ask that:

there might be the recognition that You work all things together for good for those who love you; and that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints because death is the calling of a believer home and into God’s presence; that there might be a casting of our care upon you to find comfort in the knowledge of what death means to the our dear friend who is now with you; and that you would comfort and strengthen in the days ahead. Help the family and friends to rest and draw strength from you.

“In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

we commend to Almighty God our mother and sister in Christ

and we commit her body to this resting place:

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The Lord bless her and keep her,

the Lord make his face to shine upon her

and be gracious to her,

the Lord lift up his countenance upon her

and give her peace.”

These things we ask in the name of the King of kings and Lord of lords, even in Christ our Savior.