“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra
“The time for my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – The Apostle Paul
Do you set goals? Perhaps you have personal goals, work related goals, bucket list goals, retirement goals, relationship goals, workout goals, or goals related to healthy eating or a more balanced life.
I do believe that goals are helpful. If nothing else the process allows us to take inventory of our life and our priorities. Once we have done that, we can set goals that are consistent with our values.
This week I would like to encourage you to take inventory of your life, and I would invite you to join me in setting a worthy goal for yourself.
A Worthy Goal — A Good Funeral
Now let me be clear, when your time on earth is over, we are going to serve you and your family as best we can. Assuming we are alive, Karl will sing, Robin will take care of every detail, the ladies of the church will serve at the reception, and I will do, whatever it is that I do.
However, I want you to have A Good Funeral, not just a funeral where everything is done well. A Good Funeral, you cannot buy. A Good Funeral cannot be planned at the last minute. A Good Funeral takes a lifetime to achieve. A Good Funeral is a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Now if you are on the back nine of life, like me, it is not too late to set your sights on A Good Funeral, but I would not delay any longer.
Gene Anderson had A Good Funeral.
When he died, there were no headlines or press releases. No movie stars or heads of state attended his funeral. What made this funeral “good?”
The story of Gene’s life made his funeral good. Everyone who attended the funeral loved Gene. Everyone spoke of his kindness, his faithfulness to God and country, and the fact that Gene never spoke an unkind word in his life.
His grandchildren recalled an ideal grandfather, his friends described a friend who could be counted on. Gene was a man of faith, he was generous and gentlemanly. He lived without fanfare, he was a man of few words, he lived a quiet life of service to others.
After 90 years of living, Gene had fought the good fight, he had run the race, he had kept the faith. It was time to go home. Gene had A Good Funeral.
I will never forget a funeral I had some years back. The funeral was for a man in his 60’s. He had lived in the community for nearly 30 years.
Your church staff took care of every detail. The service unfolded without a glitch. There were 13 people at the funeral: work colleagues, a renter, an executor, and a lawyer. One person shared a remembrance, saying, “his life was devoted to his family and friends.” And yet, not a single member of his family was present. His children did not attend. His grandchildren did not attend.
I left the church sad that day. My sadness had nothing to do with death. I was sad because this was not A Good Funeral. I so wanted to be able to hear and tell a different story. But it was not to be. Money could not buy A Good Funeral. Music and food could not make it A Good Funeral.
Of course, we did share the story of God’s grace, forgiveness and hope. Grace, forgiveness, and hope for the deceased, for me, and for all gathered. In the end, we are sinners, we are all beggars, we are all dependent upon the amazing grace of God. We cannot earn our salvation, but we can make it a life goal to have A Good Funeral.
Remember, “If you don’t know where you are going, you will end up someplace else.”
Love your neighbor, love your enemies, be faithful to the promises that you have made, and follow Jesus. This is the recipe for A Good Funeral.
See you around, or see you in Church!
Pastor Jim
