The Unexpected Showed Up

It's December 23rd and I have attended my second funeral this month, this will be the third one since September. The first was my high school classmate, Michael, great guy. At 52 years old, he died of a heart attack. The second was a friend's mother, I'd known her most of my life. She was 93. This last one was two days ago, it was Michael's mother. This is the one that got to me most, because of Alvin.

Alvin is Michael's older brother. I've known him most of my life. I remember him as a loud and boisterous person, but that's not what I saw when he came back for Michael's funeral. "Boisterous" had been replaced with "grief-stricken" and, after today, you will understand why he is somewhat paralyzed by the pain.

In June, Alvin lost a great stepdad and soon after, his own health started to struggle. In September, he lost his only sibling and beloved brother Michael, and two days ago, he laid his mother Lucille to rest. His heart is in pieces, and his wife and friends grieve with him. Funerals are predictable for the most part, I've gotten pretty familiar since September, with soft music, beautiful flowers, and tears of sadness. This one started out as expected, honoring the life of Lucille, so you can imagine my surprise when right in the middle of the service, the unexpected showed up.

Stories were told, words were spoken, and tears were shed, then a subtle shift was made when one of the ministers took to the podium. Instead of the usual Psalm 23 (yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death... KJV), this minister took us to Psalm 94.

 That's when something happened that I don't think I've ever experienced before. I heard the Lord speak directly to Alvin.

Psalm 94:17-19

Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

Most of the service was honoring Lucille, but those words were brought by the Spirit, through the minister, just for Alvin, and they touch me too.

I didn't know Lucille, but my tears flowed terribly for Alvin. He feels alone, abandoned, heartbroken, and lost. His wife is wonderful but she can only do so much. His friends can only do so much. In the end, it comes down to Alvin and the Lord for true and deep healing and a way to carry on.

The message I heard spoken to Alvin: "His unfailing love supports you and helps your foot from slipping when you feel off balance. His consolation calms your anxiety. He will bring you joy again."

The message I heard spoken to me and Alvin's friends: "I'll be the one to console him. In Me, he will be boisterous again."

You bring hope and life to all things, Lord. I pray you bring it back to Alvin. I believe you will do it and thank you for it.

-Shauna