Monday, June 13, 2011

What God gave me. . .

Flesh and all that goes with it are temporary things. It is illustrated in Ecclesiastes this way:

  • To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
  • A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
  • A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
  • A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
  • A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
  • A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
  • A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
  • A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

We as humans are here for an appointed time and then our physical being is no longer useful. Flesh is that way for each and every person, even Jesus Christ.

The spirit is not that way. It lives on in a laugh, a sideways glance or the Holy Ghost. This spirit can be passed on. It is the legacy that is remembered and felt in our hearts.

We all have our own personal remembrances of my Father. We will each carry those in our hearts until our bodies are no more.

One thing we can all agree on was Daddy’s love for others. It was out of this love that he chose to keep his illness quiet until he knew that it would overcome his flesh. That love was not unrequited. It was returned more that he could have ever imagined here on earth. And for that our family thanks you.

Out of his love for humankind, Jesus chose to die on the cross. When Jesus said “It is finished and gave up the ghost” in John 19:30, he really said “The work of my flesh is complete. Here is my spirit to comfort you.” Earlier in the book of John, Jesus identified the Holy Ghost, His Spirit, as the Comforter that would live in us.

During Daddy’s last days, he said to my Mom, “Don’t forget”. I believe what he meant was “God’s work in my flesh is complete. Here is my spirit to comfort you.”

Please pray with me –

Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing our family and friends here safely today. Thank you for the Spirit you said would be our comfort in time of loss.

We celebrate the life of Maurice Conn and honor his memory and legacy. We return to you his ashes and thank you for his touch in each of our lives.

We ask that you continue to watch over our lives and return us safely to our homes.

In the precious name of Jesus we pray. AMEN

Ellen Conn Taylor April, 2011

1 comment:

momwithbrownies said...

Ellen, What a beautiful tribute to your father and his life here and here-after. What a blessing you must truly have been to your family during this time of loss.