Abide In Memories
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“Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
I attended the funeral of my cousin, Tom this past week. His mom and my dad were siblings. I grew up with his family being an integral part of my life and my foundation. I remember holidays and family picnics together. I remember the laughter and fun we shared together. I remember the cool toys they had at their house. I remember the love my aunt and uncle gave to me. As I listened to the scripture and the hymns and the spoken word, I sat in the memories, and it felt like a warm blanket around me.
The Scripture from the Gospel of John, chapter 15 was read in the service. The word “abide” caught my attention. It described how I was feeling – I was abiding in the memories of years gone by, but memories that were so very present in that moment. I could see, feel, smell, and hear those memories as I sat in the church and worshiped God in the celebration of my cousin’s life.
To abide means to dwell, to remain, to be present, to remain stable or fixed in place. I believe memories abide in our hearts and minds. God has blessed us with the ability to remember. It is allowing the bad to fade and the good to remain.
At the meal after the service, I sat with Tom’s brother, my cousin, Dan, and the memories came to the forefront of my thoughts. My brothers were around me as well as the children of my cousin. Our memories were first of our grandmother who was the connection between our families. Grandma was the foundation of our family and our faith. She was the one with whom we each had a relationship. We told stories from our childhood about Grandma and how at Easter all fourteen of us ate at the dinner table in her small house and wondered how we all fit. And after dinner searching for the hidden peanuts in the shell that Grandma had spent hours hiding the day before. We laughed and shared and for those moments we remained or abided in the past memories. They are memories that are a part of who we were and remain vital to who are. Nobody can take them away or even change them.
It is good to abide again in these memories. I am so grateful for the gift of my Grandma and her influence on my life and my faith. She was a very proper lady, too, who taught me manners, respect for your elders, and how to play checkers. The memories do not bring a sadness but a joy that I had these experiences and relationships.
Yes, there is sadness when someone dies. We rejoice in their life and influence and that they are no longer in pain or suffering. We give thanks to God that they have been welcomed into Heaven with Jesus. Our sadness is because we miss them and our life changes because they are not physically sharing life with us. When we choose to abide in the memories, we keep our loved one alive in our hearts and our foundation is stronger because of their love, life, and influence.
We are called to abide not just in our earthly relationships and memories, but we are to abide in Jesus. Jesus calls us to abide in Him. When we abide or stand firm in Jesus we bear fruit. That is, we do exactly what my Grandma did – she lived her life in Jesus’ presence and shared her love and faith with her family who then shared it with the next generation.
We also abide by remaining present with Jesus and living in the present with Him. Jesus is our stable and firm place in the storms of life. When we abide, Jesus holds us, protects us, and helps us to weather the storms. We are never alone. Abide in the memories that are your foundation. Abide in Jesus because He will walk you through the present. Enjoy some laughter with a cousin, too!
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