It is a chilly day in Ohio. I stand by the front door of the funeral home, waiting for the family to arrive. The funeral director handling this funeral will be there in a bit, but because I know this family, I meet them and get them settled. I had been in their home at 1:30 that morning. The aged mother had passed away at home under Hospice care and I had gone with one of our men to retrieve her body. As my partner prepared the lady for transport, I sat down with the two daughters and son and made an appointment for them to come to the funeral home in the morning to make final arrangements. I prayed with them and then we transported their Mom to the funeral home.

          So, now I watch three cars pull up. The two daughters and their husbands, the son and his wife and assorted grandkids, all adults. One of our staff hurries to get more chairs. As they enter there are hugs and handshakes and introductions. Another of our staff takes coffee and tea orders and hurries off to prepare the drinks. I walk the folks to the table and we sit down. The family is quiet, feeling their grief. I pull out a notebook and start to ask questions. Some of these things will be in the obituary, but my real purpose is to cut through grief and fatigue and get them to talk.

          It starts slowly. What was Mom’s maiden name? Siblings’ names? I ask about family events, not because it will wind up in the obit, but because I want them to talk. The son, the oldest, tells a story about a long ago family reunion. That leads to a story from one of the sisters. One of the grandchildren speaks up and shares a tale about how grandma covered up his misdeed so he wouldn’t get in trouble. The older adults stare; it was something they didn’t know. Another grandchild tells her own story about gram’s complicity. Pretty soon there is laughter and stories and smiles. The lady who made the coffee and tea also brought cookies, and in a short while coffee and cookies are gone. Finally, the son of the deceased lady sits his cup down and looks at me. “OK, now what do we do?”

          He was talking about the funeral proceedings, but it could also have been a question about their family’s lives. It was a question that had to be asked. There is comfort, even peace, in the stories. The memories flow and those memories tend to be good memories. In this case, the long months of watching a loved one slowly slip away was, for a brief time, supplanted by the memories of her life. They were reminded that while they were fighting with an enemy called grief, that fight was preceded with a friend called love and love was greater than grief. Still, the question had to be asked. Now what do we do?

          The church I pastor is entering into a new phase. Literally, a monumental change. One that, even though it has always been recognized as necessary, will also be accompanied by grief. Stories of past times have been coming forth, and they are good tales. But the question is out there. Now what do we do? We have taken this great step of faith, but what lies beyond? There are many who read this blog who are not affiliate with our church here in Indiana. However, your life is still changing. Maybe a death, maybe a coming birth, maybe a move or a new direction in life. If nothing else, there is a new year to deal with starting in just a few days. It is not natural for any life to stop and become stagnant. There is always something that is presenting a challenge. Sometimes there is overwhelming sadness linked with the challenge, sometimes joy and happiness, sometimes uncertainty and maybe even a little fear. Every challenge brings change and every change brings the question. Now what do we do?

          What did Adam and Eve do when they made their devastating mistake and ushered sin into the world? After the dust had settled and their lives had been totally changed, they went on with the mission the Lord had given them. What did David do when he failed and became guilty of adultery and murder? After the dust settled and his heart was crushed, he went on with the mission the Lord had given him. What did Peter do after he denied Christ in a feeble attempt to avoid problems for himself? He dealt with his shame and grief and went on with the mission the Lord had given him. The Bible is full of stories of men and women who faced the same kind of issues we all will face this year. The ones who had even a little strength in the Lord rose above it all and went about the mission the Lord given them. In contrast, there are also stories of people who hit the hard place and they abandoned the mission the Lord set before them. For people like Lot and Saul and Ahaz and Ananias and Sapphira, it did not end well.

          What do we do now? Is our challenge insurmountable? Are all we have left to us is fond memories? What is marriage going to mean, or a baby? How can I see beyond the crisis that now floods my life? How do we deal with missing Mom or Dad or child or husband or wife? How can I set about finding the mission that God has for me in the midst of all this chaos?

          What do we do now? We start each day with prayer. No, you don’t feel like praying, but you must. If you have accepted Christ as Savior you have to understand He has the answer. You have to set some time aside each day to read the Bible. That is where the answers lie. Don’t try to find verses that specifically speak to your situation, but read and explore the mind of God. And, we must continue to serve. Isaiah 40:28-31 says this; Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. We like that idea of waiting for God to renew us and strengthen us, but word ‘wait’ is used in almost all English translations, yet it doesn’t mean ‘wait’ as in ‘waiting for a ride.’ It means ‘wait’ as in a waiter of waitress who serves us in a restaurant. The Hebrew word is ‘qavah’ and means to actively serve. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t rest or back away. Even Jesus tried to find solitude. But when the time came to get back at it, Jesus was there, calming the sea.

          What do we do now? I look at the man who had just asked the question. “Well, Chris, now we need to put this thing together in a way that will honor your mother.” And we get down to the business of why we are together at the funeral home.

          What do you do now? Remember the past, but don’t live there. Move forward in the Lord. Be led, be guided, be faithful.

          What do we do now? I think we know.