BURIAL OF A SISTER
"FOR YOUR SAKES"
David Hutson
Our brother has referred to the time of our departure to be with Christ. He has also referred to our being put to sleep by Jesus, a matter which is in the hand of One who has loved us so much that He has given Himself for us. As we have been reminded, we are here to bury that which is His property, for which He has given Himself, and to commit this precious body to Him in view of that day when He will raise it in glory. There is an element of mystery as to the time of our departure. We might have wondered as to our beloved sister, why she was left here so long in the weakness in which she was, but I believe we can be confident that though there is the weakness which attaches to us as in these mortal conditions, yet the work of God remains. Not only does it remain but it proceeds in His own way, unknown to us, as to which we can be assured – as it says "having confidence of this very thing". We can be confident that right until the end that work was proceeding. We may not have had access to it, but the Holy Spirit of God indwelling that body right to the very end had access to the work of God there, and we can be assured that in relation to our beloved sister, that work has proceeded to completion. And, as has been said in reference to that coming day, it will come to light in glory in its own distinctiveness, every one of us bearing the image of the Heavenly One. We shall be like Him when we see Him as He is, but each in its own distinctiveness. The distinctive ness of what has been formed in our beloved sister through the experience of that long life will be seen in glory in that day. What a comfort that is, that if we are here it is in view of the work of God proceeding, the work of God which has begun. How wonderful the beginning is, His own sovereign work in new birth making way for the reception of the glad tidings, the reception of the Saviour, faith in His precious blood and in His finished work, that we might have part in that day of glory to be with Him and like Him for ever. Now as to our sister it is complete. We would not be here if it were complete in ourselves. The very fact that we are here shows that the work is not complete but we know that having been begun it will be completed unto Jesus Christ's day.
That is one side of the matter as to why we are left here – in view of the completion of the work of God in us. But I would seek help just to apply what the beloved apostle says here as to his departure. He says "remaining in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes". Of course we know what came out from him in his latter years, all that we have gained and all that we value in his ministry on record for us in the holy writings, but I believe that it would apply to each t hat we are left here for the sake of one another. Our sister was left here in the condition in which she was in order that there might be those feelings of sympathy and affection coming to light for our beloved brother. Our prayers too for our beloved sister, our exercises in relation to the matter of her being left here in such conditions, all this would be not simply something now to be left behind, but through the experience of it there would be something formed in us, something that we can carry afterward. So in that sense she was left here for our sakes. What have we learnt through our sister being left? What have we learnt, indeed, in relation to each one being left here? We may think as to some of our aged brethren that it would surely be far better for them to be with Christ, some on beds of sickness, in infirmity and so on, but it is for our sakes. What is it that we learn through these experiences – experiences of ourselves, experiences of one another? I believe that we are all left here, in that sense, for one another's sake, for the working of the feelings of the body of Christ, in sympathy for one another and for formation to the divine nature. I believe, beloved, that we should consider these things. It is a time of gathering up. Our beloved sister has been gathered up now by Christ to be with Him for ever, but for us it would be a time of gathering up that we might gather up something from our sister's life, that we might gather up something from the experience of her having been with us and gather up something from this time which will be carried forward in view of the testimony of our Lord until He come.
Burial of Mrs H.J.Taylor
LONDON
18 December 1989