Corona Devo 3228
I went to a really good funeral the other day, and I say "good" because the man was really good. The priest and the speakers during the service mentioned so many good things that this guy was involved in.
For instance, he spent thirty years as an inner-city elementary school teacher and principal...and he loved those kids...and he made a difference in their lives.
This man had a wonderful wife, two adopted children, and three grandchildren, but in his "free" time he volunteered with his wife for over ten years at Ronald McDonald House Charities, who provide programs to give families (of hospitalized children) a welcoming place to stay, so they can focus on caring for their (ill or injured) children.
As a liver transplant survivor, this guy also chose to be a mentor to other transplant recipients.
Yes, this man recently died, but he had lived really well.
How are we spending our days? And how are we preparing ourselves and others for when we go?
When it was time for Jacob (in the Bible) to die...he was ready. He had twelve sons (who became the twelve tribes of Israel), and when Jacob was on his deathbed, he gave a blessing to each one.
When the end of Jacob's life came, he was organized and orderly, and even in the face of oncoming-death he provided leadership and direction to his family.
Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. (2) “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.
(3) “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. (4) Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.
(5) “Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swords are weapons of violence. (6) Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. (7) Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.
(8) “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you...
(13) “Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.
(19) “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.
(20) “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
(21) “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
(22) “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. (23) With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. (24) But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, (25) because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you With blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. (26) Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers...
(28) All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him...
(33) When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. ~Genesis 49:1-8, 13, 19-26, 28, 33
Jacob had his ups and downs, as we all do, but he was a man who lived for God. And when it was time for him to die...did we read how beautifully it happened for Jacob?
After he had lived his life for the Lord, and after he had gathered his sons to bless them, (which was his fatherly duty?, then (Jacob knew) that he had carried out his last task for God. This is our earthly role: to live, love, and carry out tasks for (and to the glory of) our Heavenly Father.
Are we doing that?
Jacob (imperfectly) did that, but Jacob did that. And (at the end of his life), when he was done doing that: When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people (Genesis 49:33).
Yes, Jacob died, but didn't his life wrap-up well? I want to go out that way (if possible) too, don't you? ...Surrounded by family, blessing them, and then tucking up our feet under the covers in bed...and breathing our last.
Sounds like a good way to go, which is probably why God shared it with us in Genesis Chapter 49.
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God is with us every moment of every day. We can't "see" Him sitting at the supper table or riding shotgun in the car with us, but He is here.
He is fully aware of how we are living our days and carrying out our lives. God sees our hearts and our efforts and He does not miss what we do in our free time.
Are we spending our time and our lives for us, or for Him? Volunteering or self-serving? Teaching or criticizing? Building-into our family and blessing them, or are we building a (lonely) empire of "me"?
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We don't have to volunteer at a hospital for ten years in order to go to Heaven. But if we are connected to the Vine (Jesus)...there will be evident fruit in our lives, and He will see it. Others will too.
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
(5) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (6) If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (7) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (8) This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
(9) “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (10) If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. (11) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ~John 15:4-11
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As we come to accept and understand death to be a reality, are we "blessing" those that come after us?
Are we providing leadership and direction to our family?
Are we doing/saying/being/praying "good" things?
Are we connected to the Vine?
~~~
We will each draw up our feet and breathe our last one day soon enough. What "good" stories will they tell about us at our funeral? And (more importantly), what will God say?
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ~Matthew 25:23
Blessings,
sarah
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