“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
Going-through-the-motions worship cannot be sincere because it does not involve the whole person. Without the heart, it is not worship, but a stage play, a pretense.
Yesterday’s funeral was a tragedy and a pretense. It was conducted by a woman playing dress-up before a throng of numb souls needing truth to cope with reality. The family, perhaps 150 weeping people, filed in to the tune of “Big Rock Candy Mountain.” The actress offered them platitudes about life here on earth, then, with about 1000 others, we watched a 40-minute slide show meant to honor the life of this much loved youth. The background music sent mixed messages, everything from “Angels Among Us” to a ditty about graduating from beer to whiskey.
Near the end, the actress quoted Jesus, “If you know the truth, the truth shall set you free,” to introduce her notion of how the young man was a free spirit because he knew the truths of needing family, working hard, etc. Nothing was said about Jesus being The Truth, nor about the freedom of being released from the power and penalty of sin.
It took 30 minutes to clear the building. We held our daughter-in-law and her sorrow-filled mother and others we knew. I don’t know when I’ve ever felt such deep sadness for those who do not know the Lamb of God. From the grown-up little girl dressed up in priestly robes to the hundreds of confused teenagers, no one demonstrated any hope, any understanding that despite this tragedy, God loves them and Jesus is Lord of all. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, life that they so desperately need.
Deep in my heart I know God can bring good out of evil, joy out of grief, yet I was asking Him why He didn’t do something to override this travesty. Could He not put words in the mouth of the dress-up lady? He did not do that, but He did shine one small light into that dark arena. One family member, the only one who believes in Jesus, could not be there but she sent a CD of herself and a song: “Amazing Grace.”
Did anyone hear it? Did anyone understand that Jesus can change sorrow to hope? Or did the most of them leave thinking their only joy would be a hereafter with a big party and booze flowing from the rocks?
God, they have no idea what they are doing, nor what You can do for them. Open their hearts that they might know Your amazing grace.
Later: I must add to this something God reminded me of during our Easter worship service. He took the worst thing that could ever happen, the murder of His Son, and turned it into the greatest event of all history — and our redemption! Now I'm looking to see how He can work redemptively through this tragic death and void-of-hope funeral.
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