Graveside for Debbie Cruz

Prayer

As we gather here for the few moments we have can we start with a word of prayer

Prayer

Heavenly father we thank you for the time we have here this afternoon

We thank you that your word promises that on days like this you’re near to us.

You’re present with those in trouble

You’re near the broken hearted

You comfort those who mourn

So we know We don’t gather here alone, we know your presence has come before us and you are here to help us as we say our final fair-wells to our mother, grandmother, sister and friend..

So I ask this afternoon that you would help us

Give us strength for this moment..

Help us to express our hearts and emotions

Give us peace that surpasses all understanding

And above all remind us of the hope we have, even in this moment, a hope that’s grounded in you and you alone

Guide our time this morning I pray

In Jesus name, amen.

Scripture

Genesis 3:19 ESV

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Ecclesiastes tells us that death is a time when

Ecclesiastes 12:7 KJV 1900

…the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

And Paul tells us

2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV 1900

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

As we gather here today in this cemetery I believe that Paul makes us are aware, in 1 Thessalonians, of two dynamically different realities that are playing out in this moment. .

That of ours, and that of Mrs Debbie

That of the living, and of those that have gone before us.

Debbie

As I said last night, Debbie became a person hope.

The bible she believed in teaches us that when we leave this earth..

When we pass from this life to the next

Christ is waiting their for us..

“As Paul said, to be absent from the body is to be present before the lord..”

And last week, when she took her last breath..

She did so with the assurance that on the other side of this life Christ was waiting for her

to usher her into the heavenly home she longed for.

She’s now at peace

She’s well now

She no longer has to endure the suffering of this life..

The sickness she dealt with is gone..

she’s in the presence of her savior..

in her glorifies and restore body..

Thats what the bible promises

And Thats her new reality..

one day..

and one day..

as Paul also reminds us.

There will come a time where..

the Trumpet will sound

the dead in christ will rise

she will be resurrected with christ

and we who are alive will be caught up into the air to meet her and all of the others who have gone before us in Christ..

And we will be reunited with her..

That is the hope we have..

that while we bury her today in this ground

But One day, in Christ, we will be reunited with her there in eternity..

Us

the second reality we are aware of though is our own

because now, in a few moments we have to leave this place.

and go on with our lives..

living in a new norm..

one that a beautiful person we love no longer is present in

And I want to encourage you that you are not alone in this new walk..

Psalms 23 tells us what we have a great shepherd..

A guide, a help, a comfort

in the good days, the bad days..

in joy and sorrow

In green pastures and the valley death.

The bible tells us that this Shepard is

an ever present help in times of trouble..

that he is near the broken hearted..

that he is a comforter to those who mourn..

and He is in this new reality with us..

Jesus

In john 10:11 Jesus tells us that he is the good shepard.

he is with us..

We are not alone.

You can lean on him..

call on him..

find solace and peace in him..

Debbie

I think its important that we understand as well..

that while Debbie may be in eternity

that we carry a part of her within each of us when we go

her kindness

Her love

Her care..

and her hope..

these things are a legacy for us..

and if we will allow it

If we will carry it on..

It will help to live in hope as well

And in allow her legacy to live .. she is with us..

alway in our hearts, our memories, and our actions.

End

Mrs Debbie is at peace..

Christ wants to walk with us if we will allow him….

And if so, we have the hope of one day being reunited with Mrs Debbie.

Would you pray with me one more time?

Father we thank you once again for the time we have here this morning. We thank you that over the last week you have been with us and have helped us to navigate This difficult season. But now, in these final moments, we give Debbie back to you. You gave her to us for the vapor that was his life. You blessed us through her and we grew to love her. But know we know she’s no longer ours, she’s in your hands and we release our grip on her in this world, knowing you have wrapped her in your arms in eternity. Help us as we leave this place. Help us to navigate the new reality we are now living. Remind us that you are walking with us each day. And help us to live in hope, knowing that one day we will as well see you face to face and will be reunited with Debbie again. We love you and thank you once again. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen