May.22.01: Light For The Day - "The Power Of Hope" -- Romans 15:13 (RSV) "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and  peace in believing, so that by the power of the  Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." ---------------- Going to Funerals is an occasional social obligation  that makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm not afraid to die,  or at least I don't think I am, but I am afraid of not being  able to feel the pain of those who have lost a family member. I remember going to the funeral for the mother of a friend.  He and I shared an office one year, and I was glad to be  able to represent our community of coworkers. But I felts,  as I often do, like a mere observer, not a participant. The funeral director, like most funeral directors, was  sober and unobtrusive. The organ played "It Will BE  Worth It All When We See Jesus," and everyone was  quiet. The whirring of the ceiling fan was the only other  noise as the pastor asked God to give us "reverent and  submissive hearts." A son-in-law offered an eulogy. It was a tribute to a  woman who, after 44 years of marriage and three years  as a widow, left a son and a daughter and grandchildren  who loved her and love each other -- no small  accomplishment. Then a granddaughter read a poem:  "We gripped your finger, but we really held your heart."  The audience began to stir. Then Tom stood up and talked about his mom and what  she believed. I'm not sure I could do that -- speak at my  own mother's funeral. But he did, and he did it well.  He talked dry-eyed about the grace of God and how it  had sustained her. He said he looked forward to seeing  her again. Then he sat down and cried like a baby. I realized then that the faith expressed that day was not  a crutch for emotional unstable people. It was a simple  but painful celebration of God's promise that death is  swallowed up in victory and that we will see our loved  ones again. That's hope, and hope in this sense is not just wishful  thinking. It is the confident expectation that God is in  control, and that He intends good for us. Hope is at  the heart of our faith, and it distinguishes believers  from unbelievers. Even at a funeral we expect God to do the wise thing,  the right things, the best thing. We know He will come  and set things right, if not in this life then in the next.  We may have our heartbreaks here, but ultimately we  expect freshness and radiance in God's presence. We are full of joy and peace, and our hearts  "overflow with hope" -- W.C.M  ------------------ -- Ecclesiastes 7:2  "It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals.  For this is the end of all men, and you should think about  it while there is still time.