Laid To Rest

“In the garden was a new tomb that had never been used before. The men laid Jesus in that tomb because it was nearby.” John 19:41-42

My sister-in-law was “laid to rest” this past week in Arlington National Cemetery. Her husband, Don, a retired Admiral in the Navy, will one day be laid to rest in the same grave with his dear wife. To be laid to rest - to rest from our earthly labors. We speak of the cemetery as a person’s final resting place. Our minds know that the body is an outward shell that contains the soul and spirit. The soul never dies, but upon death it leaves the body and goes to Heaven where it receives a heavenly body. We come to the cemetery knowing our loved one is not there, but we remember the final place their earthly body was laid to rest.

As a pastor, I have led the procession at the cemetery as the pallbearers carry the casket to its final resting place. I have placed my hand on the casket and said, “This body we commit to its final resting place, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labors for their deeds follow them.” Finality is found in these words. The body that has held the person we love no longer exists, no longer is present, no longer can be touched or held or kissed. Even knowing our loved one is now in Heaven the moment after these words are spoken are indescribable. The pain and loneliness creep in. This is truly the end as we have known the person on earth. It is final.

Jesus was laid to rest in the tomb after he died on the cross. Nicodemus and Joseph took Jesus’ body and laid it in a new tomb in the garden. Jesus was laid to rest. The disciples and those who followed Jesus were filled with deep grief, fear, sadness and had lost hope. They had believed in Jesus, believed his words, but he was dead. It was final to them. But it was not final. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus conquered death, and because Jesus did, we have hope of eternal life. We have hope that when our loved one is laid to rest, it is not the end. Our loved one is now in Heaven and given a new body. They were laid to rest on earth but have a new life in Heaven.

In grief, another concept of being laid to rest is revealed. Our earthly body becomes tired and weary and needs rest to renew and refresh, but sometimes rest never comes. In our grief, we may lay down to rest, but our mind refuses to slow down, and complete rest is allusive. The earthly body of our loved one has been laid to rest, and in our grief we may need to lay to rest our burdens, hurts, pains, regrets, guilt, and so many other things that prolong our healing and living. We tend to hold onto things that we cannot change from the past. Forgiveness needs to be part of our grieving process. We may need to forgive our loved one for leaving us and forgive ourselves. We need to lay to rest the negative and focus on the good and positives of our loved one’s life and love. We cannot fix or control other people and how they grieve or do not grieve. We let go of dreams that will go unfulfilled with our loved one. It is recognizing we need to create new dreams in this different life we now have. We lay to rest our worries and fears and put our trust in the One who did not stay in the grave, Jesus. Jesus promises to take our load and burden and carry them for us. We need to surrender to Jesus who understands the sorrow, pain and sadness, but wants to give us life even in our sorrow and grief. Rest.