In 1873, Horatio Spafford, a successful attorney had lost a fortune in the great Chicago fire of 1871. Around the same time, his four-year-old son died of scarlet fever. Thinking a vacation would do his family some good, he sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to England, planning to join them later. However, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship they were on was involved in a terrible collision and sank. Among those who0 perished were all four of Horatio’s daughters. His wife, Anna, sent a telegram to her husband that began: “Saved alone. What shall I do?”
On his journey to meet his wife, the captain of the ship he was on, explained to Horatio that they were now passing over the spot where the shipwreck that had claimed the lives of his daughters had occurred.1
As Horatio thought about his daughters, words of comfort filled his heart, and he wrote the words of this song.
1. When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul
2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And has shed His own blood for my soul.
3. My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul
4. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.
Chorus: It is well (it is well), With my soul (with my soul), It is well, it is well with my soul.
Eulogy – Pastor Michael L. Brown:
We are gathered here to honor the life of ____________________________. This is a time when we try to make sense of it all and yet there is so much, we don’t know. But, Like Horatio, we can find strength and comfort in our faith in God, as we look to Him for the things we don’t know.
While we have come to celebrate the life of ______________________, some of you may be faced with a crossroads. Decisions that we could make right at this moment will determine whether we can move forward or if this is a place, where we will get stuck.
We have thoughts of what we would do now for ___________________________ if we could. Things we wished we had done or said to her while she was here, but, the time for that has passed.
Because we believe scripture, we understand that ______________________________, from the moment she took her last breath here on earth, took her first breath in Heaven. Scripture tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:10; that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So as much as we grieve her loss, Aubrey is now experiencing the wonderful presence of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
So, at this time I would ask you to consider 2 things:
1st, Consider those who remain. The family and friends who are gathered here, right now. What would you do for them if you knew this was the last time you would ever see them again? When we consider the frailty of life, we know that tomorrow is not promised to any of us. How much time do we often waste arguing with those we love and then later regretting it because those might be the last words, we exchange with one another?
Casting Crowns, a popular Christian singing Group wrote a song titled, “No Scars in Heaven” The song starts out saying; If I had only known the last time would be the last time. I would have put off all the things I had to do. I would have stayed a little longer, held on a little tighter. Now what I’d give for one more day with you. What would you change about the way you talk to someone that you really love, but all too often, take for granted? What can we do in this moment to become closer as a family? When I hear the stories of Aubrey, it’s plain to see that she loved every one of her family members. I know it honors her memory when we show that love to each other.
2ndly, What will you do next? Grieving is a natural process that we all need to go through when we lose someone we love, however, how we go on from here, is of extreme importance. You see the enemy would love for us to get stuck in this place.
In 2 Samuel 12th chapter, 16th thru the 23rd verse, David’s son had taken ill. While David prayed for him to be healed, David wouldn’t eat or drink anything. He only laid around and his servants couldn’t get him to do anything but, around the 19th verse, something happened;
In the 19th verse, David found out that his son, after being ill for 7 days, had died, and his reaction wasn’t what anyone expected.
The 20th verse says:
20So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
22And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether [b]the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
David knew that he would see his son again. David trusted the word of the Lord and so he lived with the HOPE of that great reunion in mind. He refused to allow the loss of his son to steal his life as well. Never Lose Hope! Because, of what David knew, he refused to allow this tragedy to move him to a place of depression. David chose to live in the peace of God. We also have the option to choose to live in the peace of God. And while grieving has its place, we do not want to allow grief to steal our HOPE.
So, what do we know going forward? While there is much we don’t know, let me share with you the things that I know for sure:
1. What I do know for sure, is that God is absolutely, perfectly trustworthy and we can give ourselves completely to him in this dark valley. (Bill Johnson) He alone is the source of healing and wholeness.
2. What I do know for sure, is that out of trouble comes new anointing, new levels of faith, new wisdom, and new relationships and that trouble forces you into new habits and a new intimacy with God (Pastor Joel Brooks)
3. What I do know for sure, is that God has promised to give us, all of us, beauty for this mound of ashes and that no matter what, God is good!
4. What I do know for sure, is that ______________ loved and is loved by her entire family. That she knew without a doubt that she had the best family ever, the best mom, the best dad, and the absolute very best sister of all time.
5. What I do know for sure, is that she will live on through all of you because of the light she was to everyone who knew her, and that light continues to shine through the many memories you will all continue to share.
6. And finally, what I do know for sure is, that all those who have received Christ as their savior will see her again in Heaven. Of this, I am completely confident!
Let’s pray!! Father, Help us as we mourn the loss of Aubrey and cherish her memories. Help us to heal and find the strength to go on, looking for that glorious day when we will be reunited again in Heaven.
Committal:
Father God, We commit to you, ____________________. We will cherish the precious memories of her that come to us from time to time. Father let each of us purpose to seek the Lord with all our hearts and respond to the opportunities for Salvation extended to us through your grace.
Benediction: The Lord Bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you: The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you, His peace. Numbers 6:24-26
