Blessed Assurance

You know, there are some things in life we just don’t like to do. For example, how many people get excited about root canals?

On my list of “things I’d rather not do” is funerals and some weddings.

I haven’t met a soul yet who enjoyed funerals. Well, maybe my Mama Cile. When she was still able to drive, she viewed them more as a social event!

Some weddings I get excited about. For instance, I will clear the calendar the day of Craig and Katie’s wedding, Elliott and Stephanie’s and Ryan and Sarah’s. (What I’m not excited about is the weight loss that must occur before April! Well, I’m excited about the loss… just not the process!)

This past Saturday morning, I attended a great funeral. There were a few things that made it great. First and foremost, there was absolutely no doubt as to where Dalton Williams was spending eternity. His earthly body may have been in that casket, but his soul was with Jesus! This is something I knew prior to the service, but it was more than confirmed during the service. You see, Dalton Williams’ relationship with Jesus was so real, it showed in his daily life to everyone he met. And by the packed house, standing room only crowd, he met a lot of people!

I will have to admit that when I saw there would be three “preachers”, I was a bit worried that we would be there half the day! To my surprise, each of them was relatively short, very sweet, and to the point. The second pastor had definitely had his AARP card for a while, but he was terrific! He informed us that Dalton gave him this order: “Bro. Robert is to ‘preach’ my funeral. Your job is to blow smoke!” Let’s just say the room was smoke-filled when he sat down!

Lastly, Bro. Robert inspired me in his message. Here was the passage of scripture he used:

"’Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.’

Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:1-6

As he read the scripture, I sat quietly in my pew quoting it with him. It is a passage I memorized as an elementary-aged chubby kid.

Something else I memorized early on as a child were the words to “Blessed Assurance”. They are words that I sing often and with confidence.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
(Refrain)

Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

If you don’t know my Jesus, you sure are missing out on an abundant and yes, eternal, life!