Norma Davis Funeral
Funeral Message • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after…
One thing…
David says…
One thing…
To the exclusion of all others…
One thing have I asked for…
One thing I will seek after…
If you could narrow down today, everything in life that matters to you, what is that ONE THING…
For those who do not know me, I am Michael Stitzel, lead pastor at Hephzibah. I have been blessed to be pastor here for nearly 11 years. I have been blessed to be able to know, serve, and love Norma during the entirety of those 11 years. She is one of those who have been here since day one.
I was sharing with our church family, the Sunday after Norma went home to her Savior, that some of my earliest and fondest memories of Norma are from those early years. Few people beat me to the church building on Sunday morning, but Norma, Gloria, and Plucky were among the few who often did. Week after week, by the time I arrived (an hour early) to get ready for the gathering of the church, Gloria and Plucky were there already, Plucky at the door and Gloria in the classroom. Norma was either there already as well or not too far behind. I loved to walk by, say good morning, and those two dear sweet lady’s chattering away as they got ready for class. Truthfully, theres a pang of true nostalgia there. I miss those days.
Oh how Norma loved those kids. How she (and Gloria) loved to teach. They loved to serve. I am so thankful for the faithful example of these ladies.
And they were so faithful.
Norma and Gloria were THE DUO, two peas in a pod, the peanut butter and jelly- the combo that never seemed to disappoint.
I know Norma was deeply proud of her children and grandchildren.
I remember early on, as the new pastor at Hephzibah, she quickly found a point of connection she knew I’d appreciate — she told me about her son-in-law, Rob, who was pastoring in Brooklyn at the time. This was before he and Jeanne were led to serve with SCORE, but even then, you could hear in her voice the joy and pride she carried for their ministry.
And though it took some years, God would ultimately bring our lives into deeper connection than either of us could have known back then — and I’m so grateful for that.
It wasn’t just them, of course — it was clear she carried that same love and pride for all her children and grandchildren. She spoke often and fondly of how she saw God at work in their lives.
Norma loved to sing in the choir, as was mentioned in her obituary. She was always a constant and faithful voice, singing and worshipping. I know, had she been able, that she would have been right back there most recently when we were able to resume the choir after a several year break from having. I know that now, she is singing with the best choir of all time and creation.
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
In the face of death, this verse is so helpful for both those grieving death’s sting and the saint who has crossed death’s river…
Funerals, memorial services such as these are tough. They remind us of the fragility and brevity of life. They remind us of the ongoing presence of sin and its despicable curse. They remind us that all is NOT well in the world yet.
Funerals remind us that death, though defeated, still casts its shadow in our lives. They remind us of the wrongness of death.
And yet, we are reminded that death has been defeated.
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?”
Those questions are rhetorical, but they demand an answer…
Death’s sting, for the follower of Christ, for the sons and daughters of God, is significantly lessened.
We still feel the temporal sting of death’s presence (otherwise we would not be here today), but the eternal sting (the greater sting) has been forever removed.
Despite the reality of death’s persistence, we have the hope of death’s demise.
Death, though filled with grief and sorrow and loss, for those of us whose faith is in Christ, death is also filled with hope.
Which is why we have the precious words of Psalm 116:15
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Why?
Why is the death of the saint, so precious in the sight of the Lord?
Because of Psalm 27:4.
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
Let me go on this time though…
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
Death of God’s saints, His beloved, His children IS precious in His own sight because death means that this verse becomes a living and physical reality.
Death of the saints of God, the children of God, the followers of Christ means that they go home…physically…into His presence. And they get to experience THIS….FOREVER.
You and I, who love, fear, and honor God NOW in THIS life, get to know this reality but not in the same way. A limited way, a spiritual way, a way that is by faith, but not by sight or physicality.
For the saint who knows death, this becomes an immediate and physical reality.
They get to dwell in the house of the Lord…FOREVER
They get to gaze upon the beauty of God in ways that you and I still cannot.
And as hard to fathom as it is…God WANTS to be near to us. He has come near, time and time again. He has shown us just what it means for Him to come near.
The cross of Jesus Christ is the greatest and most resounding testimony to that.
And it is because of that truth and reality that today, though we gather to grieve separation from the one we love, we gather with thankfulness and joy too.
Norma’s death is precious to Jesus.
She has entered the throng of those who cannot be touched by death anymore.
Her faith in God, her repentance of her sin, her love for Jesus has been met with such blessedness in His presence.
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
What is that one thing?
To dwell in the house of the Lord…forever
To gaze upon God’s beauty
To inquire in His temple
Interesting how the ONE THING is showing here as THREE…
How can THREE BE ONE?
Because all three center on the presence of God.
Norma, as a child of God, desired this one thing…
No, I never personally heard her say it…
But her life and faithfulness testified to it.
And right now, she has the final and fullest fulfillment of this desire.
She is gazing upon His beauty, delighting in His presence, and worshipping in ways that we cannot yet.
Death does not hold her.
LIFE cradles her in His arms. She lays her head on his breast. She knows the joy of dwelling in the house of the Lord, forever.
Her deepest longing and desire has been fulfilled. Her life of faithfulness has been rewarded. Her pursuit of Christ has reached its conclusion.
And she is whole.
Psalm 27:4 is true for her in ways that it is not yet for us. It IS true for us, just not in the same way.
May this truth comfort, draw, and strengthen us to remain faithful until the reality of it is true for us in the same way.
As I thought about Norma’s home going, I was reminded of something I wrote after my parents passed — a prayer of both grief and worship. I share it because it captures the hope and the heart of worship I desire for you to have in your days of mourning and grieving.
It is fitting today as we gather to grieve the physical death of another of God’s beloved. Norma has joined my parents, has joined all who have died in Christ before and gone to be with Him.
She can do what we cannot. Worship unimpeded by sin.
Worship God For ME
Worship God For ME
I sit here missing you
A hole left in the space you vacated
An ache
A longing
A grief still deep and real
Tears flow freely
Fed and fueled by your absence
"Joy to the world
The Lord has come.
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart
Prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing"
Sounds of worship
Praise and adoration
Ring out
Even as the tears flow
Oh how I miss you
And long for the day
We are together again
Whole
And then I picture and see
You
Kneeling
Dancing
Praising
And worshipping
WHOLE IN HIS PRESENCE
Worship Him for me!
I whisper and pray
Worship in a way I am not yet able
Worship for me
Worship for you
Worship for HIS SAKE
I can't wait until I join you!
I ache to join the throngs
Of sin free
Struggle free
Worshippers!
Abba, your name is great!
You are worthy of all worship
And Praise!
Accept my imperfect and tainted praise!
Until I am free to join in
Unhindered, unfettered praise
And may your name be lifted up
May YOU be pleased
Through every expression
Of your glory
Both from here
And from there!
To you
Be all the glory!
Norma’s faith has become sight. May the same Savior she now beholds - the One who holds her - give us grace to live with that same ‘one thing’ in our hearts until we join her in His presence
