2 Funerals, 6 Days and the body of Christ

We just buried Donna’s grandmother. She passed away on Friday. The entire sequence of events is still a bit fuzzy. But we think she called a few people and told them she wasn’t feeling well. She then called 911. By the time EMS arrived, she was at the Judgement. EMS transferred her to ETMC in Crockett where she was eventually pronounced dead.
When I first got the call it was that Granny was ill. It wasn’t until we arrived at the hospital that I discovered what happened. Simply put, Granny was a very ill woman. The physician explained that typically we don’t see patients in her condition live past the age 50. The fact you’ve gotten 30 more years out of it is that much better.
So in the past eleven days, I’ve had a 9-day-old baby of a good friend pass away and my wife’s 80-year-old grandmother pass away. In less than a week, I’ve attended two funerals. Talk about emotionally draining.
But here’s the thing. I’ve seen some amazing grace, love and kindness bestowed by strangers to strangers.
The week before last, I was in Nebraska. It was Wednesday night and my flight was Thursday morning. I decided to attend a Bible study at a local church in the town I was visiting. First Baptist Church of Falls City was very welcoming. I think I was the youngest among the 8 or 10 that were there. They happened to be studying the same area of Scripture that my home church is studying.
From this little church in Nebraska, I found love, acceptance and a desire to do God’s will. They offered me a breath of air in the time that I was away from my family.
While up at Granny’s, I decided to visit their small church. This time I took Jonathan, Donna’s sister’s friend. There, the pastor preached on Revelation 5. He spoke of the amount of celebration that goes on in heaven. He referenced many of the old Baptist hymns. I learned that celebration, celebrating God, celebrating all of the incredible things He has done for us is good.
From this little church in Pennington, I again found helpers, love and a desire to do God’s will. They offered comfort in a time of grief. They offered prayers for our family.
So what is my conclusion here? It is simply that we I need the body more than ever before. I need to learn to depend upon others in the body of Christ. I need to participate as part of the body. I need to become one with the body and enjoy the fellowship that God has put us all in.
Praise God for all that He has done. Praise Him one and all. Praise Him!