Funerals and Banquets

I attended a funeral today, of a longtime friend from my home church.  Her first name was Linda as well.  Because my parents' families lived out of town, the church I grew up in really was our "in-town" family--and the kids who went there are like brothers and sisters to me.  My friend has struggled for nearly 25 years with pain from a serious car accident--and most recently had a stroke.  Her death was unexpected, and jarring, because she was younger than me.  The funeral was lovely; she had two brothers and two sisters and her oldest sister gave the most wonderful eulogy.  Linda's most striking quality was her persistent positive attitude throughout the trials of her life--and her capacity for fun.  Her sister also talked about how Linda loved beautiful things, and that now she was invited to a banquet--one that we are invited to as well.  Then the pastor read from John 14, a beloved passage for funerals that has its basis in the Jewish wedding.  The groom would tell his betrothed that he was going to prepare a place for her in his father's house (an annex on the family home), and that when it was ready he would come for her.  That is what Jesus is saying to us in these verses--that He is prepare a place for us in His Father's house--heaven--and that when it is ready, that he will come for us who believe in Him.  That got me to thinking about our remodeling process--we are in the process of putting new floors in the kitchen, living room and dining room, and we have had the ceilings redone, painting and wainscoting done and granite counter tops and new back splash in the kitchen.  It's been two weeks, and while we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, we aren't quite done yet.  It's exciting to see the progress, though--and I suddenly had a wonderful thought:  if it takes this long just to do remodeling on our house, how awesome must the home be that Jesus is preparing for us in Heaven?  The Bible says we can't imagine it--but it surely must be incredible!  And the only thing holding him back is that he needs to build more rooms for those yet to accept Him!

It says in Ecclesiastes that it's better to go to a funeral than a party, because when you go to a funeral you gain a better perspective on what your life should be like.  That's definitely true for me today.  Someday, I will join my friend at the banquet in Heaven--will you?  Jesus Christ died so that you could; and invites you to the table.  You need to accept His invitation--not only to a banquet, but to a full life now--and let Him control your life.  He will not take away the pain and trials of life, but He will give you the best gift of all--His presence, forgiveness and peace.  And a hope that endures, just like the beautiful smile on my friend's face.