WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING AND YOU HAVE IT

This past week, I had the privilege of serving a family in our church, as a husband's wife died, after a 2 year battle with cancer. One thing that happens, with the passing of a beloved family member, and friend, is that those friends and family members will do their very best to come to the memorial service, in order to show their love and appreciate for the person who has passed. In this particular case, I was made aware that there would be many people at the memorial service, who did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And it was the husband's desire, who also said it was his wife's before she died, that I would give a message, that clearly presented the good news about Jesus Christ. Whenever I am told that, it is an encouragement and a challenge. It is encouraging that the desire is there to support what I would normally do - share the gospel at a funeral service. It makes it a lot easier for me, as I do not need to worry if the immediate family (in this case the husband) is supportive of me preaching that kind of message at their loved one's service. It is challenging, in that I still need to honor the person's memory, for those who are attending, and at the same time, give them the message they really need to hear, which is not focused on the person who passed, but on another person: Jesus Christ. When I was done sharing the message (from Acts 17:30-34, which was written in the Bible she was given as teenager), I was concerned that the family might feel let down that the focus was all about salvation and not about her. But instead, the husband was very thankful for the message of salvation that was shared and mentioned that many family and friends had expressed appreciation for it as well. But, the one statement, which was said to me at the graveside service, is what is sticking with me now. It causes me to pray for this particular person, as well as many others, who perhaps were thinking the same thing, but not saying anything. As I was walking away from the ceremony and being escorted by the funeral director to his car, a woman approached me and said: " I am (fill in the religion). I love my faith. But, we are missing something; and you have it." My assumption is, that although she is not considering leaving her faith; she has heard something that does not seem to be a regular part of her faith; and yet it is something that she personally desires. What that is, I don't know. It could be the care, the personal attention, we give to the person who has passed, as well as her family. It could also be the personal message of salvation that is not present in many of today's religious systems. Whatever it is, I hope that God will help her to find whatever she is missing in her religion; especially if that one thing is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.