Last evening I returned home from attending my cousin Melvyn's funeral. During the time of visiting I heard one after the other comment about the body we looked upon in the casket. They said, "This is not Melvyn," or "This is not how I want to remember him," or "He certainly was not that thin," etc.
At another time, perhaps, I'll comment upon our custom of trying to preserve the body with chemicals. For now I'd like to meditate a bit upon a saying by C.S. Lewis—"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."
At the funeral service we all celebrated the fact that Melvyn continues to be alive. Even after his body ceased to function—what we call death—Melvyn continues to live. This is an inference people make even if they know nothing about such Scriptures as the following.
At the funeral of Jesus' close friend, Lazarus, we hear Martha say, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
And then Jesus said something so profound and wondrous I cannot even begin to probe its meaning. He said, "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" (John 11:21-26).
Jesus speaks to Martha as if Lazarus were present, but unable to rise. Martha was certain that Lazarus' body had already begun to decay since it was not preserved by any chemicals, but merely wrapped with cloths and placed in a cave cut into the side of the rock. Once I visited that cave at Bethany, some miles from Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Martha spoke of Lazarus as still existing and was confident he would somehow be raised "in the resurrection at the last day." He would have a restored or renewed body.
All that makes perfect sense to most of us. We know that at a funeral we are dealing with mysteries beyond us. We also know that when we fall asleep we are not aware of the passing of time. We are aware of our abilities to imagine and create images "in our mind". Photos of Melvyn prepared by his son Richey and projected on the screen brought us back to those times when Melvyn lived among us and spoke to us. We remembered how he enjoyed a good laugh. We have memories, but we do not really know what memories are.
These and many other things remind us that we "are a soul" and we "have a body." For the moment Melvyn's body is no longer occupied by him. It served its purpose, but now will decay in spite of the chemicals and return to dust. Yet Melvyn is with Jesus in glory and bliss. On the last day Melvyn will receive and will occupy a new body, a glorified body, without the burden of sin, a body filled with the Spirit of Jesus. In that day we, his family in Christ, will see and know him for what and who he is.
In our terms, controlled as it seems by the passing of time, it may be many years before that happens. I don't know when that will be. I await that Day with eager anticipation. For now I am content that Melvyn, who is a soul, believes in Jesus, is with Him in paradise and is not dead.
