Jan
25
God Has A Plan - God Still Cares
Filed Under Sermons
Following is my sermon given at the recent funeral of Garrett Steven (January 15, 2008 - January 18, 2008), my great nephew, who was born with a condition called “anencephaly.” My thanks to those of you who prayed for Garrett, his parents, Brian & Kristine, and the family. - MAJ
A verse of Scripture that has taken on special meaning for Brian & Kristine in this season of their lives is …Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
Last August, Brian & Kristine received the news that would both rock their world and change them forever. The precious child growing in Kristine’s womb had anencephaly. This term, unfamiliar to most of us, immediately catapulted to the forefront of our awareness as we scrambled to make sense out of this new reality. But no amount of understanding would erase the pain of this stark revelation. How can one make sense out of tragedy? Yet, in the midst of their tears and the inevitable question, “Why, God?” a bedrock conviction took root, grounded not in theory, but in faith, that though we live in a world of uncertainty, even tragedy, we can face the future with hope instead of fear, because God cares and has a plan. This verse, taken from the book of Jeremiah, speaks of a time when God’s people found themselves being tossed about on a sea of uncertainty. Their hopes for a secure and happy future had been crushed, – they had lost something very dear to their hearts. Having been exiled to Babylon, the people of Judah had lost their homeland. The question that arose for them was, “Does God still care?” In the midst of it all, Jeremiah, God’s prophet, offers an encouraging word - God has a plan! “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,” which include “a future and a hope.” Brian & Kristine have discovered both by faith and by experience that in the face of deep disappointment and dark despair, God indeed does have a plan. Though it unfolds only one day at a time, and at times it’s difficult to discern, God is at work in our times of trial and He does still care. In the midst of the storm, we are held.
Brian & Kristine soon discovered that in order to see God’s plan unfold, they would need to walk by faith in the light of God’s truth. When confronted with the decision to terminate the pregnancy or carry their child to full term, the choice was clear and their resolve was unshakable. They would stay the course. They would honor the giver of life by choosing life for their unborn child, regardless of the prognosis. Personal convenience would be sacrificed. The unspoken questions and pitying glances of those who couldn’t understand their decision would be endured. God was in control, and they would submit to His leading.
God was faithful in the months that followed. Certainly there were days of sadness and genuine grief as the reality of what lay ahead sank in. Yet, there were surprises along the way that bolstered their hopes and buoyed their confidence. Notes of encouragement and personal comments from relatives, friends, and co-workers, from both expected and unexpected sources, let Brian and Kristine know that they were admired and respected for the depth of their convictions and the dignity of their decision – and most importantly, that they were not alone.
As Brian & Kristine prepared for their child’s arrival, their belief that God had a plan carried them as they thoughtfully selected a name, Garrett (a derivation of Garnett, Brian’s deceased mom) meaning “Warrior, Free,” and Steven (the name of Kristine’s deceased father) meaning “Crowned, Blessed.” The preparation of a nursery in their home was more than an act of love, it was a step of faith and an affirmation of a life that though it would be brief, would nonetheless be valuable and cherished. Securing the services of a photographer from the “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep” organization to memorialize Garrett’s birthday, and establishing a website to chronicle the events surrounding his brief life’s journey, were more than sentimental touches, these acts validated life and honored our Lord.
And then came the actual day of Garrett’s birth, with the mixed emotions of impending joy and looming sadness, of dreams realized only to be dashed, of joy over a new life entering the world and the sadness that this life would be all too brief, the dream of holding a long anticipated child, coupled with the dread of soon having to let him go. Here too, the promise of God was believed. Faith in the fact that God had a plan won the day. An amazing sense of peace permeated the hospital room as prayers were spoken and Kristine was wheeled off to the delivery room. When we entered the room later that morning to find an exhausted but beaming Kristine holding Garrett, and Brian, the proud papa, looking on while stroking his son’s face, a spirit of thankful rejoicing descended upon us. Moments later, Garrett was brought to the Lord in the waters of baptism. Tears of joy flowed and God’s presence filled our hearts, as His grace was imparted and His promise of eternal life through Christ our Lord was bestowed. The words of Romans 8:18 took on new meaning where Paul writes, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Garrett Steven, the recipient of the grace of God’s forgiveness, was now a child of the King. In the prayer which followed, we affirmed God’s promise of a great reunion of the redeemed in which all God’s children would be present, and we took comfort in the fact that come what may, Garrett would not be forgotten.
Baby G was born on a Tuesday morning and by Friday morning his brief sojourn in this world was over. This warrior was now truly free, absent from his body, but present with the Lord. What meaning did his brief stay among us convey? Brian & Kristine will never forget their son. On their website, they said, “Amazing little Garrett Steven lived a life that exceeded Mom and Dad’s expectations. The meanings of his name were truly achieved in Garrett’s short, yet valuable life.” They will long remember the strength of his grip, the force of his cry, and until the end, his determination to fight for every breath. Brian & Kristine and the family made every moment they had with Garrett count. Yet, his legacy will long outlast his brief stay among us:
- Because of Garrett, we will never again be able to take life for granted. We will see life, regardless of how brief or fragile, as God’s gift to us, something of great value, to be celebrated and cherished.
- Because of Garrett we will be more likely to reach out to and not run from those whose lives are marked by tragedy and loss.
- Because of Garrett we will be more prepared and more willing to see beyond what our reason and senses reveal, to grasp what is unseen, but no less important, and no less real.
- And because of Garrett, we will be focused more fully and orient our temporal lives more deeply around what lies ahead for all who are folded into God’s family – i.e., eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Yes, God had a plan, both in bringing Garrett into this world, and now, in receiving him unto Himself. May we, by grace, live in the knowledge that the impact of Garrett’s brief life will live on through us as we walk by faith and share God’s love and compassion with others; and may we be comforted by the fact that even now in our grief and loss, God still cares. A-men.
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Dear Pastor Mark,
Your words of comfort and hope for this family are truly a message born of the Holy Spirit living and working in you. Thank you that you answered the call of God as He put you here for this moment in their life and for us at Community of Joy.