This service had the potential of being the epitome of a depressing event. The young lady, Katie, was only 24 years old and had been murdered, her head bashed in by her 'boyfriend' of 42. Her grandmother and her cousin arrived within moments of witnessing, or becoming a part of, the murder. The body was still warm.
There was reason to believe that the murder was premeditated, since two days prior the telephone lines had been cut underneath the house. I learned just today that the man has been charged with first degree murder, and police are looking for another person or persons. They believe he may have had accomplices. Certain paperwork dossiers are missing from the house.
It gets worse. Katie lived with her grandparents, neither of whom is well physically. The grandmother's health has partially disabled her. The grandfather has terminal cancer, and a week ago he suffered a severe heart attack and has been in CCU ever since. He and Katie were very close, and he had been teaching her all the financial ins and outs so that she could handle business when he was gone. She did everything for her grandparents - cooked, cleaned, ran errands - just everything. They all loved each other.
Since an autopsy was done on her, and due to the nature of the death, the decision was made not to have a funeral. And that's the reason for the memorial service. With that stage set you may see why this service might reasonably be expected to break records in terms of being emotionally depressing. And, of course, as a Christian, my main concern was whether or not Katie had accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of her life. Although I had been told she was a Christian ... I wasn't entirely confident that was the case.
I am now. Amazingly, it was one of the most uplifting services I've ever attended. I never fail to be astonished at the unique and surprising things that happen when the Presence of the Holy Spirit is in attendance - and He certainly was there. The atmosphere was electric with His Presence, from beginning to end.
The second reason the service was so positive was Katie herself. I knew she was extremely intelligent, perhaps brilliant. She was studying bio-chemistry. That any of the bio sciences could be comprehended by any mere mortal always wins my highest respect, that being my Waterloo. (I love quantum physics :-) I knew she was devoted to her grandparents. That was only the beginning.
The long parade of young people who came to the microphone to pay tribute to her was awe-inspiring, but the reason they loved Katie so much was what got my attention. She was apparently one of the best missionaries the church was blessed to have. She regularly brought people into the church from the highways and byways of the community, telling them of their need for Jesus Christ in their lives. Her witness extended to college, where she challenged her teachers about their beliefs and the state of their spiritual lives.
Oh, Katie had her youthful problems and her 'demons,' but she loved her Lord, so much that she told everyone about Him. She was progressing - moving in the right direction, impacting lives.
One trait almost every person mentioned in humor about her was that she was opinionated. And she was! But not in an obnoxious way. No, it was actually somehow endearing because it welled up from the core of her being, from those things that excited her. That's exactly how the Lord made her, and now we know why. She was excited about Jesus Christ. Who can say how many people heard the good news of the Gospel because of Katie?
The Holy Spirit worked in another way. I had been questioning in my mind whether or not Katie was really a Christian. Now, during the service, I began wondering if - in my entire life - I had been as effective a witness as Katie had been. God has a way of turning the tables on us for our own introspection.
Evidently the Lord only needed Katie here for 24 years. Evidently she did more for Him in those 24 years than most people do in three times that many years.
It's no wonder the Holy Spirit attended Katie's memorial service. Apparently she, too, was...
A Child of the King
(You can be, too!)
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