What is in the “-”?

My Grandmothers funeral was Sunday March 25, 2007… my birthday. Nevertheless, driving to her funeral Sunday morning gave me time to sit back and think about my life. What is in the dash? There are always three things you will see on a grave marker; a birth-date, a death date, and a dash. Everyone always wants to know the date you were born, and everyone always loathes the day someone dies. However, when I stand and look at the grave markers filling the cemeteries the one question that often is the hardest to answer is, What is in the “-“? For many of us, unfortunately, the dash does nothing more than separate life from death. The day our life ends, the dash ends, and for those we leave behind, that can be a sad commentary on our life.

However, what if the dash continued on long past the point of death. That is what we would call a legacy. My grandmothers funeral wasn’t a time of sorrow. Yes, there is sadness because she is no longer here in this life, but for her–because she put her faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 11–now at death, her life has truly began. It is an amazing mystery, but Paul gives us some insight into the mystery of death for Christians (those who trust in Jesus Christ alone) in 1 Corinthians 15:51…

“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed…Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Just as we have funerals for the purpose of remembering the life of a loved one, there is something we do often in the church to remember Jesus’ life, his death, and his resurrection. The Lord’s Supper. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim Lord’s death until he comes.” Until he comes? That’s right, death wasn’t the final act in Jesus’ life. Otherwise, the Lord’s Supper would be nothing more than a sad memorial. Instead, Paul makes it clear that we partake of the bread and the cup in remembrance of Jesus’ saving work on the cross, yet looking forward to his return. Therefore, as we sit in church next Sunday and we take the Lord’s Supper, my desire is that as we remember the legacy of redemption from sin that was perfected on the cross, it will cause us to sit back and evaluate our lives. That evaluation, should cause us to desire to live our lives honoring our Savior who gave his, so we might truly live. That is a life of legacy!

Thank you Mamaw and Papaw for lives lived honoring Christ. Your legacy lives on not just in your children, but as of today…in your children’s, children’s, children.

In honor of Birdie Pearl Lee Fischer – June 1, 1918 – March 23, 2007.

Study to know Him,