Take this little sermonette, print it and share it! Ever so carefully, I bent to lift the cardboard shipping box up off the floor where it had first been placed on delivery day. It had been sitting there long enough, I felt, at the foot of the family ‘memorial table’. But that day, something didn’t feel right. Aunt Irene led a fascinating, busy and often glamorous life and here she was—what remained of her, anyway—just dumped and forgotten like any old package.
“Well, HELLO IRENE”, I spoke out loud as I carried her over to the dining room table. Did I just really SAY THAT? “I know that you are in a much better place now, but I have to…I have to”….and the emotion welled up in me as I blubbered, “I have to fix you up...”.
Dang, am I CRAZY talking to the air? Even the cats looked up at me with their kitty eyes as if trying to figure out what I was up to, and if food was involved, of course, but--
Distraction aside, I persevered.
Steak knife in hand, I slit open the shipper, suddenly apologizing under my breath to Irene for the assault! Then, just as suddenly, I felt the awesome presence of the Holy Spirit, oh did I ever. I saw that this was now clearly a devotional undertaking and I would treat it as such. The earthly remains of this vivacious red-haired may be in a plain green-black plastic box container, not so very dignified or beautiful at all. But God was being good enough to assure me that I was on the right track fixing things up for the boys, Irene’s nephews. But what could be done to improve this container, I wondered?
Bowing to the collective sensibilities of Aunt Irene’s survivors, this plain plastic box had been chosen, rather than something more expensive. I got that. I agreed with it, for as Paul tells up in 1 Corinthians, “42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” 1Co 15:42-44 (NIV)
This description of the Resurrection Body is sufficient for me to have been able to complete the task at hand, which was to do what all dyed-in-the-wool artistic types and crafters do. You’re probably seeing where this is going, but if not, here’s a hint: As my daughter walked by the dining room table, she stopped, rolled her eyes, and said, “Mom….you’re NOT!” “Not what, dear? Well, yes I am going to decorate Aunt Irene’s container”. That prompted a suitably sarcastic retort from my girl to the effect that she wondered if there was ANYTHING I wouldn’t paint and glitz up, etc and I thanked her for the valuable input and formulated a design.
I decided on a ‘masculine motif’, for my husband and his brothers would be conducting Irene’s service at sea. Being mindful of the fact that Irene was as feminine as she was strong (and I mean this literally, for she continued to wear her beloved high heels way into old age), I also went for ‘elegant’.
Thus with paint, decals and gold netting I completed a fair rendition of “lapis lazuli gift box tied in a gold tulle bow”. Things were barely dry before the boys whisked her off. I was pleased with the job, praying that the paint on plastic would 'hold' long with all the boat motion...All crafters know how difficult it is to paint on and glue plastic.."Please let it dry and hold", I prayed. "Please let it dry and hold!"
Yes, I know my efforts were appreciated and yes I do believe that the Lord was letting Irene peek in on us, just a bit, as she made her final transition. I certainly felt her. We believers in the family were comforted to know by our faith that she was rid of her worn-out physical body and now had a new and improved spiritual one, thanks be to God.
This said, we realize that some do not believe there is such a thing as a spirit body. They might want, then, to talk to an amputee experiencing ‘phantom limb pain’, an acknowledged medical condition. Though the physical limb is removed, it may yet feel as if it is there! It may hurt and itch and can be very disconcerting to some people. It occurs because the person is sensing his spiritual limb, where his physical one had also been. A vexation and curiosity to some, but also potent assurance that our physical vessels have a very real spiritual coexistent substrate.
So, "Goodnight, Irene". Live well in your new life in the Lord.
Amen.
Reverend Barbara Sexton October 20, 2009
www.dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment