“Do You Believe?”

Meditation for the Funeral of Henry Bruns

March 4, 2013

***

      When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother.

      When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.”

     Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

     Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

     Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

      Martha said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” (John 11:17-27)

***

   When I first met Henry and Jeanette in fall 2011, they were going through a time of transition.  They were adjusting to their new life of 7 or 8 months in an assisted living community after moving from their single-family home of around 18 years. The move meant downsizing and letting go of many belongings that stirred happy memories of their life of 47 years on a farm in Ericson Township. 

      Concern for Henry’s health and mobility prompted the move. Fiercely independent and private people for their lives, Jeanette and Henry now needed a little more help. 

    The couple still attended Ebenezer every Sunday. And as they filed out of the sanctuary with the congregation at the end of every service, Jeanette would smile kindly and give me a warm hug. Henry would grin and say “Hello.” One hand held onto his walker as the other took my hand in a firm handshake.

   I always asked him how he was.  He usually said, “Fine.” Or, he made a face and said, “Not bad, I guess.”  When he felt more comfortable with me, he’d say, “Well, could be worse. Better than some.”

     He never told me that he had pain, though I would find out about it later—when Henry had to go a nursing home in Olivia.  It was an even more difficult transition for them—their first time apart since they had been married in 1944. But Henry needed more care.

    Our prayer was for Henry’s healing, that Henry would feel the Lord’s loving presence with him and that He would make a way for Henry and Jeanette to be back together again.

    The Lord answered our prayers. Henry soon came to RenVilla—where he could receive the nursing care he needed and Jeanette only had to walk a few hallways and take a short elevator ride from Meadows to be with him.  Anyone visiting would find them together every afternoon—he resting in bed, and she in a chair beside him, reading, doing a puzzle, or just quietly holding his hand. 

     With Henry’s fragile health, they could no longer come to Ebenezer where he had been a lifelong member and had served in a variety of roles.  But Henry’s faith had deep roots.  He attended chapel services Sunday afternoons at the nursing home with Jeanette when he was well enough. He continued to read church bulletins, sermons, and daily Upper Room devotions.  He was happy to partake in communion and was always eager to pray whenever I visited.

     I knew that Henry wanted to go home to be with the Lord. He wasn’t afraid of death, he said. He was ready!  His earthly body was wearing out.

    But it wasn’t his time, yet.  God had other plans.  I know this was frustrating for Henry—being patient and accepting that the Lord was still in control and wanted what was best for Henry and Jeanette—and for the witness to God’s Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.

    I prayed the Lord would help Henry persevere during this transition period of waiting and enduring a life not of his choosing in a body that could no longer do all the things he used to do on the farm, including making furniture, toys, and other beautiful things out of wood.  I know he longed to be out of the bed and tiny room that was his home during his final months with us.

     I prayed he would hold onto his faith and never stop trusting in the One who showed us the way to everlasting life when he died on a cross for our sins—and then rose again.

***

    In our gospel today, Mary and her sister Martha are the ones who have to wait and suffer, when they expected the Lord to respond immediately to their cry for help and heal their brother as they had seen Jesus do many times during his ministry. And Mary, Martha and Lazarus were like family to Jesus; they were good friends and loyal followers.

   When our Lord finally reaches their village, Lazarus has been in the tomb 4 days. But Martha does not give up. While Mary stays home and gives in to grief, Martha runs to meet Jesus on the road. 

    She says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.”

    This is Martha, the one who once complained to Jesus when her sister was sitting at his feet and Martha was the one doing all the work in the kitchen. But now Martha is the one with a stubborn faith that can endure—not Mary. Martha believes that although their brother has been dead 4 days, Jesus can still bring about a miracle because of who Jesus is and his special relationship with God.

       And Jesus doesn’t let Martha down. He tells her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

     And then he asks her a question to which he most certainly already knows the answer,

     “Do you believe?”

    Martha says, “Yes I believe.  You are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

***

      With the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus demonstrates that He is who Martha believes He is.  And that all that has happened is part of a larger plan for the glory of our Lord and the salvation of the world. Many others hear that Lazarus has been raised from the dead—the most miraculous healing Christ has ever done. And they, too, come to believe!

    And friends, in God’s time, He answered our prayers for Henry. He and his family endured in faith till the end, and Christ surrounded then with His love and peace. Henry held tightly to Jeanette’s hand and to the cross of Jesus as he passed into the next world and went home to be with God.  No more weariness.  No more suffering.  No more frustration with a body that no longer did what he wanted it to do.

      I can imagine Christ asking Henry the question to which our Lord already knew the answer.

     And Henry replying like Martha, “Yes, Lord.  I believe.  You are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

    And I ask you now, my friends, what will you say if Christ asks you,

    “Do you believe?”

Let us pray.  Lord, thank you for your faithfulness to use each of us and our lives as a witness to your glory.  Thank you for using us to achieve your larger plan for the salvation of the world.  Forgive us when we are impatient.  Help us to persevere through suffering, trials, and grief in faith and trust you till the end.  In Christ we pray.  Amen!