Graveside-George Elijah Jr.

Welcome

We gather here as family and friends to commit George Elijah Jr. to his final resting place. As we commune on this place this afternoon, we come with such broken and fractured hearts over his passing. As well, we come in the comfort of those memories of him. May our hope and faith sustain us.

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you and we ask you to lift this precious family and these loved ones that are sorrowful, hurting, and feeling great void. Oh Lord, rain down your presence, your comfort, your sustaining grace and the peace that passes all understanding. Help this family and these friends to remember George with love and gratitude and to find hope in Your promises. Lord, I especially pray due to the circumstances by which we gather today. Lord, fend off embittered spirits. Lord, help each of us have thanksgiving for the time you shared George with us. In Your Son Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

Scripture Reading

In God’s Word, Paul writes to the church at Corinth:

1 Corinthians 15:51–57 NKJV

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 incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:1–7 NKJV

1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Reflection

This afternoon as we say our final goodbyes to George, may we embrace his memories, reflect on his life and those things that impacted each of us for good. Though his life was tragically cut short, God chose Him here for a season. May each of us be thankful for the season that the Lord shared Him with us. I pray for each of you as my self that we find comfort in knowing that God is with us in our grief. You and I will never come to an understanding as to why this happened, but I call upon the Lord on all our behalf to offer His love and eternal life to anyone here that so chooses life in Him.

Committal

“In the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our loved one, George Elijah. We commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord lift up His countenance upon him and give him peace.”

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the life of George, thank you for a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a relative and a friend. Lord, thank you that you created Him and your Word states that He was fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you for sharing him with us and the memories of his life. Thank you for the many lives he impacted. Love on this family. Love on these loved ones. Comfort as we mourn and help us find peace in You. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

“May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”