What song would you play at your funeral?

Ok, I'm not trying to add a morbid tone to the day...but do funerals have to always be morbid? I think of this theme because this morning I was listening to some songs by Rich Mullins, one being his song "Elijah". I can't help but  love that song and be struck with the idea of perhaps playing it at my funeral one day. Even if people don't always play songs at their funeral  generally , a lot of people do think of what song or poem or thing they would like to be said- something to convey perhaps who they were as a person, something to help define their nature or whatever message they would like to convey to their loved ones. It's not that uncommon of a thing to think of. (I guess that's my way of having a disclaimer to attempt to bring the point home to my readers that I'm not that strange lol.)

So, here's my song.

Elijah ~Rich Mullins

The Jordan is waiting for me to cross through
My heart is aging I can tell
So Lord, I'm begging for one last favor from You
Here's my heart take it where You will

This life has shown me how we're mended and how we're torn
How it's okay to be lonely as long as you're free
Sometimes my ground was stoney
And sometimes covered up with thorns
And only You could make it what it had to be
And now that it's done
Well if they dressed me like a pauper
Or if they dined me like a prince
If they lay me with my fathers
Or if my ashes scatter on the wind
I don't care

But when I leave I want to go out like Elijah
With a whirlwind to fuel my chariot of fire
And when I look back on the stars
It'll be like a candlelight in Central Park
And it won't break my heart to say goodbye

There's people been friendly, but they'd never be your friends
Sometimes this has bent me to the ground
Now that this is all ending
I want to hear some music once again
'Cause it's the finest thing that I have ever found

But the Jordan is waiting
Though I ain't never seen the other side
Still they say you can't take in the things you have here
So on the road to salvation
I stick out my thumb and He gives me a ride
And His music is already falling on my ears

There's people been talking
They say they're worried about my soul
Well, I'm here to tell you I'll keep rocking
'Til I'm sure it's my time to roll
And when I do

When I leave I want to go out like Elijah
With a whirlwind to fuel my chariot of fire
And when I look back on the stars
It'll be like a candlelight in Central Park
And it won't break my heart to say goodbye

'Cause when I leave I want to go out like Elijah
With a whirlwind to fuel my chariot of fire
And when I look back on the stars
It'll be like a candlelight in Central Park
And it won't break my heart to say goodbye.
Hear the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh1Y-eIu99Q

Why do I like this song so much? Because it has so many great lines in it! It conveys the message that death is a beautiful journey into the arms of God and that it's not necessarily a sad thing, at least for the believer. (I'm not downplaying death though in anyways...for those of us left behind when someone dies it can be tragic, sorrowful and a very difficult experience of loss...believe me, I know.)

I want those I leave behind to know that all is well, that I am with the lover of my soul, the Author of creation. That, "...when I look back on the stars It'll be like a candlelight in Central Park And it won't break my heart to say goodbye." That I have no unfinished business because "This life has shown me how we're mended and how we're torn How it's okay to be lonely as long as you're free Sometimes my ground was stoney And sometimes covered up with thorns And only You could make it what it had to be." Because no matter what my hopes and dreams were in this life, my real hope was always in the Lord and that whatever he had me do through Him was enough all in itself. That all is well with my soul.

Can you say, when you die, that all is well with your soul? I pray that you can. But if you can't, there is one way that you can be assured that you will be able to say with certainty that all is well with your soul and there is no need to fear the arms of death when you pass through mortality's gate. Let's face it, things happen everyday, people are tragically plucked out of their existence. We try to prepare ourselves with savings accounts so if we come across some unexpected bill we are prepared to pay it...what do we do in this lifetime to prepare ourselves for when we die?

I'm going to throw out a suggestion here, this is the best I can come up with. The best thing that I have found to prepare for eterntity is to live in Christ. To live fully in Christ and dwell richly in His Word and in his presence. If you haven't done that, I would urge you to seek the quiet solitude of your soul and reach out to God today, for when one does that, it is an amazing and transforming experience.