The burial service of Don Alec Nelson.
7 January 2013
National Military Cemetery
Canton, GA
Oh, I needed God’s strength to make it through. Plus, I was quite scared of that director in case I went over my 7 minutes (smile).
I just began, feeling a bit hurried . . . but mostly on the verge of sobs.
For here we have no permanent home,
but we are looking for the one which is to come.
Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and
at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise,
which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge
and confess and glorify His name.
Heb. 13:14-15
I want this to be a thanksgiving, that we knew this man.
Each of us knew him in different ways and at different times of life and I am so thankful that I was privileged to know him.
The sheep that are My own, hear and are listening to My voice;
and I know them and they follow Me.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it
or perish throughout the ages.
To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.
And no one is able to snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, Who has given them to Me,
is greater and mightier than all [else] and
no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand.
John 10: 27- 29
I am thankful that Don is in God’s hands ~ clearly, securely, beautifully, faithfully. And that the Shepherd pursued him and took him into His fold . . . and he was willing to be a sheep.
I am the Good Shepherd
and I know and recognize My own,
and My own know and recognize Me—
John 10:14
Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life.
Whoever believes in (adheres to, and relies on)
Me shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this?
John 11:24, 25
Such eternity!
This is a verse given to Carole on that last day of 2012:
I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,
Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more
but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies,
it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.
Anyone who loves his life loses it,
but anyone who hates his life in this world
will keep it to life eternal.
[Whoever has no love for, no concern for,
no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it,
preserves his life forever and ever.]
John 12:24-25
And I thank God and I thank Don that he was willing to be one who planted that which we will see and will be produced, on and on, in his children and his grandchildren and all the people who loved him.
For this reason they are [now] before the [very] throne of God
and serve Him day and night in His sanctuary (temple);
and He Who is sitting upon the throne will protect
and spread His tabernacle over and shelter (him) with His presence.
(Don) shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more;
neither shall the sun smite (him), nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne
will be (his) Shepherd, and He will guide (him)
to the springs of the waters of life; and
God will wipe away every tear from (his) eyes.
Rev. 7:15-17
Father in heaven, we thank You for Who YOU are. We thank You for Your perfect plan to bring us into Your presence. And Lord Jesus, we thank You for laying down Your life to become the Door through which we can go.
I thank You, Father, for this life. We release him to You. He is Yours! You bought him and he belongs to You. You shared him with us, but he is not ours.
God bless you!
(Read the conclusion in Part III on Monday.)
