Funeral Prayer for a Teenager

Dear Father we come to you today with heavy hearts.  We come to you, because you are the only one who we can turn to in times such as these.  We live in a broken world.  We live in a world that is full of tragedies.  We live in a world cursed by brokenness, disease, and death.  We live in a world filled with injustices and wrongs.  We live in a world where everything has not yet been made right.  We live in a world where there is still a time to die, a time to kill, a time to tear down, a time to weep, a time to mourn, a time to give up, a time to hate.

Today, dear Lord we come to you mourning, weeping, and even hating.  Dear Lord, we come to you today mourning the loss of a young person, weeping for the loss of someone that we loved, and even hating the sudden death that took them from us.  You did not create us to die, but rather, you created us to live, to live forever with you.  I pray that each person here today will feel free to mourn, free to weep, and even free to hate.

As we mourn, weep, and hate, dear Lord I pray that you would show kindness, mercy and grace to us all during this time.  I pray that you would bless us with hope for better days.  I pray that you would use this time of despair for your glory.  I pray that you would show us that even in the midst of instability, you are stable.  In the midst of sadness, you are a comfort.  In the midst of confusion, you are clarity.  In the midst of pain, you are relief.

Even though we are shocked at this sudden and tragic loss, we thank you Lord that you were not.  Even though we are not able to begin to understand why this young person was taken from us at such a young age, you are.  Even though we may question your righteousness and your sovereignty at times like these, we know and are thankful that you are altogether righteous and altogether sovereign.

As we reflect on the short life of this young person, may we be ever thankful for their  testimony.  May we praise you that they were one of yours and that they were bought with a price.  May we praise you that their sins have been covered by Christ’ atonement, and that they stand before you today clothed in Christ’s righteousness.  We thank you that they left this earth as a testimony to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Although we weep and mourn today, may you also give us the grace to reflect upon the future.  Although we are living in a present world of pain, may you give us a glimpse into a future of glory.  Although we will not again see the smile of this young person here on earth, may we be comforted that there is a day coming when we will see them again, standing side-by-side with Jesus.  May you give us the grace to remember that this world is not our final home, but only a temporary stop along the say to our eternal heavenly home.  We are only pilgrims today, passing through this sin-cursed world, but in our ultimate home we will once again be able to talk with, laugh with, and praise Jesus with this young person who was taken home to be with our Lord.  We thank you that their  testimony gives us this hope.  We thank you that by their life we are able to have assurance that they are indeed absent from his body, but present with the Lord.

I pray your Holy Spirit would come and be with us in the service.  I pray that the great Comforter would comfort us at this very difficult time.  I pray that the pain that we feel would be abated, during this service, and that as Prince of Peace, you would spread your peace to those in attendance today.  We ask your blessing over this service.  It is in your name we pray, Amen.

Copyright 2011 Rob Langston