This past week has been one of death news around me – a few friends experienced losses. Can I tell you that until about a year ago, I didn’t not want to hear or have to process anything about death? I consciously locked any part of me that will even open myself to think of it. Deep inside of me I immortalized everyone – especially my friends and family. It was the reason why I took any death news so hard. I’d attend funerals of people that I happened to be in the same church community or societal organizations with and I would weep my heart and soul out. My tears will run so hard I can’t stop it because it’s coming from a deep part of me. That really hasn’t changed much as I still feel the pain of a loss when I hear it.
What changed for me was when God gave me a revelation to see and understand the death process. It was a journey that took months to renew my thinking pattern and transform my heart towards this “end of life” journey. The Holy Spirit nurtured me through what an eternal life looks like. Truthfully, that understanding added more burden because now every time I hear the news of death my first worry and question was if the person was saved and had accepted Christ as his Lord and personal savior. I then start to pray hoping that even if they did not have a relationship with God, that in their last moment and final breadth, they gave their lives to God. I selfishly want to see everyone in eternity, cuddling around the Throne of God.
Just this past weekend, I attended the funeral of a friend’s husband. I really was poised to hold my tears back but hugging the widow and feeling her trembling was more than I could bear. I was so moved to see hundreds of people present to support and pay their final respects. The hall was packed and people had to stand all the way in the foyer and even outside. At the end of the service, his soccer team surrounded the casket and played his favorite song as they wheeled it back to the hearse. It was a Francophone song with a beautiful rhythm to it and immediately the song came on, so many people started to do a similar dance. It was just beautiful but moved us to tears at the same time. My friend explained that the song was the deceased man’s favorite and he always did the dance with it every time you would meet him. I could see the waving of goodbyes through the tears and as I scanned around the room, a voice in my head said “7+ billion graves are waiting”. I looked at my best friend who was there with me and I said to her, “look at all these beautiful people here, each one of us will go through this experience some day. Each one of us will be in that casket some day.” The reality hit her as well and she confirmed the voice in my head. She said “to think that all people in this world will go though this is unfathomable but inevitable.” This can only humble you as a person. That a day will come when we will become fully spirit with no flesh and blood.
The preacher said something powerful at this service, that the dash (-) between the year of birth and the end of life is rather short. So I ask, if 7+ billion graves are waiting, what do you plan to do with your dash?
XOXO,
Lady Abena