Theology At The Graveyard

As Memorial Day approaches and Mother’s Day having passed, many Christians will find themselves at a graveyard. And in most cases, they will visit loved ones gravesites that they lost yet love so much that they’ve set aside some time to visit them. And here’s where I want to ask you, Christian, about your theology.

Do you believe that the people who die are actually in the ground where you buried them? Now that is not some trite question I pose. I actually intend you to consider this question. The reason I ask this initially is because this isn’t some ‘Christian only’ response. It’s one that is shared with those who’d never call themselves Christians. But why do I even bring this up?

I bring this up because your theology either frees you here or it fails you. You may ask what could I possibly mean. What you believe about the recent dead determines if you’ll end up at the graveyard. See everybody believes their loved ones died and went to heaven, am I right? In fact I’d be willing to argue that we only think the worst-of-the-worst die and go to hell because they deserve it.

So we can all start with the notion that if we’re taking time out of our schedules to go to a graveyard, it’s because we consider this person to be a loved person. And because they have that rank in our hearts and minds, we also consider them to be in heaven. This is where the theological ball drops…..if they are in heaven, then why are you visiting the graveyard in the first place?

You say you go to pay your respects, and I sincerely believe you. But I must ask if you apply the same premise in other situations. For instance, do you take flowers to the location where you last saw a person  even though you believe that person to no longer be there? Of course you don’t. That sounds foolish, and indeed it is. The issue is that it’s now considered the ‘norm’ to go visit the dearly departed at the graveyards, and sad to say this is where most Christians check out mentally. They leave their theology at the home. I can almost imagine Christians leaving the site and cheering each other up with the thought that they’re ‘in a better place now’ which equals to them being in heaven.  It’s as if they screw back on their theological cap after completely contradicting their beliefs.

Let’s not fall into that trap again. Now is time we allow our beliefs to permeate throughout every thought and decision we have on a daily basis.

I’ll just briefly mention that we believe them to be in heaven, and yet we talk at a grave. They’re not there! Even as far as we want to believe. “But they can’t hear us in heaven” you may respond. Okay…so again you recognize them to be in heaven unable to hear you, yet and still you go to a place they aren’t and talk at a place they don’t reside. Hmm…am I the only one twirling my thumbs on this one?

No matter how we spin this thing, it always comes out crooked.

#death #heaven #hell #theology