Celebration of Life and Friendship

Have you lived in one place all your life — in one town or even one house?

Many of you, like me, have moved multiple times throughout your life and for a variety of reasons. I moved with my family from Long Island to Upstate, rural New York as a child, and to another New York town with my husband after our wedding. We’ve moved multiple times since, mostly because God called my husband to pastor different churches.

In each place, we met people who became our friends. Our friendships grew as we shared common experiences, learned more about one another, and worshiped, prayed, and fellowshipped together. Yet, even with the best intentions, we lost track of many of these friends as we moved on to the next place.

My husband and I recently attended a celebration of life for a friend, someone we met forty years ago. And it was a true celebration, as we sang hymns, listened to Scripture, and heard the testimonies of his family and friends about our friend’s influence on their lives and how much he loved the Lord and shared the gospel. God was glorified, and I was blessed.

It’s sad to say that sometimes we only reconnect with our friends when someone dies. We move away, or they do, and we get busy with life. We lose the connection until we meet again to remember a mutual friend at a funeral or memorial service.

At the celebration of life, my husband and I renewed friendships with several friends from forty years ago. How good to talk with them and catch up on family and personal news. And it’s also amazing how we make new connections with people we meet for the first time, with whom we discover common ground like living in the same town at different times or having similar experiences.

Just think what the family reunion will be in heaven, when we reunite with family and friends who arrived before us or those who arrive at the same time with us in the rapture. What a glorious reunion that will be! And we’ll meet Jesus face to face!

1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, ant with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are live and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (NKJV)

Beth E Westcott