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The funeral dinner went well. When we headed over to the house, we had been told to expect over 200 people there. I’m not sure how many were actually there, but it was a lot.
We arrived and had everything set up in plenty of time. As far as serving itself goes, everything went really well for the most part.
What I didn’t plan on was the number of people in the family that are lost. I knew that a great deal of the family members weren’t saved, but it was a different matter entirely to actually see just how many. I stood in the corner out of the way while the family filed into the house. I watched the boy’s mother (he was only 25) enter the room and be seated. One lady pulled me aside to tell me just how much of her family needed Christ. She said that there were at least 40 young people there that weren’t saved. Amazing.
What really struck me was that in a way, my eyes were opened to the way things really are. One lady at our church refers to our town as “Sin City,” and while I stood there watching people walk by me, I began to see what a hold the devil really has on our little town.
What must it be like to lose a loved one and not have the hope of Heaven? I absolutely can not fathom the bitterness and sorrow of it all. How hopeless.
How appropriate it is then that our church is named New Hope Baptist Church. A New Hope for our town – Jesus Christ. Wow.
I came home that afternoon after having been on my feet for almost thirteen hours straight (got up early to make the food, then served it, then had to do some errands which involved standing at the pharmacy for an hour waiting for our prescriptions). It was utterly exhausting. It was worth it though. We were able to help a family out on a dark, dark day in their lives.
Maybe they’ll remember it and decide to come visit New Hope some day. . .
I think a ministry like that really makes a difference. We were on the receiving end of a church funeral lunch recently. I think it was a lot of the extended family’s only brush with “church folk” in years. Christian hospitality at its best–and like you, I hope it made a lasting impression.