“My first introduction to death came when I was about six years old.”
I've heard this phrase many times over the years: "Death is a part of life."
Something inside me always wants shout out: "No, it's not! At least it shouldn't be!" Death entered our world through sin in the very beginning. Satan introduced death to the human race. Jesus brought life to the human race. Death was never intended to be a part of life, not in God's perfect plan.
My first introduction to death came when I was about six years old. One Sunday, we were returning from church to our little home in Palms, California. As we passed a neighbor's home, we saw a hearse outside. This was not the home of just any neighbor. They were good friends of my parents. The man and his wife pastored a church. That morning, he didn't feel too well and stayed home. When his wife came home, she found him dead. Nothing much was said, as I recall, except that Brother Perry had gone to Heaven.
It was many, many years before I had to deal with a death within our family. When I was in my mid-30s, one of my grandfathers was killed in a bad car accident. I believe he's now with Jesus. A few years later, my other grandfather died. He went to be with the Lord as well. I was asked to fly to California and speak at his memorial service. Death became much more of a reality. This was my Granddaddy...the man who taught me to swim, who took me along on his plumbing jobs, who took me fishing at the Seal Beach Pier.
In 1978, my wife, Joyce, went Home at a young age. I was left with our three teens. God brought Pat into our lives, and over a period of time, healing took place. The same year, my Aunt, after whom I was named, left us far too early.
Some more years passed and then my Grandma went home to be with the Lord! This wasn't just any Grandma. This was MY very special Grandma. This was the Grandma who let me come stay with her and Granddaddy during part of the summer in their home near the ocean. She fed me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She swam in the Pacific Ocean every day. I flew to California again and spoke at her memorial service. Grandma was the spiritual matriarch of our family, and I still miss her.
A few years ago, I began fulfilling a long-time dream. I wanted to honor my Mom's piano playing and my Grandma's singing. I didn't have any good quality recordings of Grandma, so I decided to select my top favorites and put them on an album myself. If you'd like to know more and hear some samples, check out "Grandma's Songs" at: http://papa.gentle.org/.
I headed for California to get acquainted with some new family members during this time period. I'd completed a rough mix of six of the songs I'd grown up hearing my Grandma sing.
Next, imagine this scene. The first stop of importance was at the Westminster Cemetery south of Los Angeles. My Aunt is buried there. So are both my maternal Grandparents. I found their graves, rolled down the windows in Tonka, plugged in the tape with the first six songs on it, and cranked up the volume.
Now I know that my Grandparents aren't there. I realize that they couldn't hear the songs. However, that was the last place I'd had contact with them. You might have even chuckled if you'd been there. Here's this full grown man playing southern gospel songs at two grave sites while tears flowed freely down his face! However it looked, it brought me a great deal of comfort! By the way, this kid in a man's body allowed a smile to sneak across his face in the midst of his tears!
You might wonder why this piece speaks so much of death at a time of the year when we all love to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus came back to LIFE! And, because He lives, we shall live also. The dead in Christ will someday be resurrected!
Aha! Here comes an interesting question for you: If you're among those who are alive and remain, where do you want to be standing at the instant Jesus splits the skies and returns for His saints? The dead in Christ shall rise first! What a promise. Again, if you're among those alive when this resurrection takes place, where would you like to be standing?
I've thought about this a lot over the years. IF I could write that final scene, I'd have Jesus come back on Easter morning. Although I now have several family graves at which I could stand, I believe Pat and I would gather as many of our local family (and any others who happened to be visiting) and head for the cemetery near our home. We'd watch Joyce's grave split open. We'd see a changed body come out of the grave. What a day of rejoicing that would be as we all went to be with the Lord together! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25, 26)
Jerry Meyer AKA PapaJ, past away June 21, 2005. Miss you bunches, Jerry! Waiting for that day!—Grant