Bettye Hiers Funeral

Order of Service:

Entrance to The Anchor Holds

Prayer

Reading

Info for Mrs. Bettye

Jennifer’s comments

Sermon

I cannot think of anything more difficult in life than to face death. When someone we love passes, we are forced to look death right in the eye, and that can be very hard. The grief is sometimes overwhelming, between the moments where it seems nothing has happened and the crushing moments where it seems nothing else can happen.

How do we cope with death? I don’t want to pretend that I can help you get rid of all those difficult emotions - the sorrow and anger and heartache are all part of grieving. But I do know something, rather someone, that helps take the sting out of death.

One of my favorite verses when I need hope is from the ministry of Isaiah. Isaiah preached a lot of God’s judgment - the people needed to hear about God’s justice. But he also prophesied some of the most comforting words in the Bible. Listen to Isaiah 43:1-2:

Isaiah 43:1–2 ESV

1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we can have hope, even in the face of death. The God who made us is the God who remains with us no matter the suffering, no matter the grief, and no matter the sorrow we face.