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A White Funeral
Posted By Janice
“We were buried with Him…that just as Christ was raised from the dead…even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4
It is ugly, plain and simple. This stubborn sin of clinging to my own will, refusing to completely surrender to my Lord, sickens me. It is a weakness driven by fear and greed, fed by the lies of Satan. And the foolishness of it is that it is an illusion that I have seen through before. I know that I will only find the peace I long for in surrender. In fact, if I had to sum up Christianity in one word, I would always say “surrender.” It is the pivotal step to our peace with God. And yet I continually slide back, holding on to my illusion of control, and living according to my will not His.
It is when I read passages like the following by Oswald Chambers, that I know I am still harbouring the instinct to run my own life. Chambers writes in his classic, My Utmost For His Highest:
“No one experiences complete sanctification without going through a “white funeral,” the burial of the old life. If there has never been this crucial moment of change through death, sanctification will never be more than an elusive dream. There must be a “white funeral,” a death with only one resurrection – a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can defeat a life like this. It has oneness with God for only one purpose – to be a witness for Him.”
As I read these words, my muscles tense, my stomach turns. I know that although I continually surrender to God, a part of me holds back in fear, not wanting to completely surrender. It is a constant battle for me.
Chambers goes on to say:
“Have you really come to your last days? You have often come to them in your mind, but have you really experienced them? …It will not happen by striving, but by yielding to death. It is dying – being ‘baptized into His death.’” (Romans 6:3)
Chambers defines this as a moment, “a white funeral,” that marks our last day.
In all honesty, this definition confuses me. I have been a Christian all my life, maturing into my faith as I grew up. I have had a series of moments where I let go of more “self” and surrendered my soul more deeply to my Lord.
As I said, it is a constant battle for me to refuse the temptation of living for myself. These temptations are often hidden in my day, disguised so that I barley notice them as I fly through the busy hours of my life. But they are there. And far too often I fall into them, often without even knowing I have sinned.
So, is there still a moment to come, “a white funeral” that I need to pass through? I am not sure. But I know that I am still failing, coming up short in my desire to live for God and His witness. While reading these words of Oswald Chambers I felt a conviction that proved I am still holding back, keeping a few selfish dreams to myself. Again I need to come to the cross and surrender, for still my will remains.
Discussion: Have you had “a white funeral” moment? Or, like me, has your progression in faith been gradual, a series of steps with a number of moments of surrender? Do you think you still have “a white funeral” that you need to go through?
Jan 20th, 2007
Good question Janice. When I was saved I went through an absolute radical change in my life. One in which everyone around me knew there was a change. My whole lifestyle was changed. And even with that radical change there is still always things that I need to lay down. I think because we live in this world and because we are human there will always be times where we are going to have to lay things down at His feet. I think this side of heaven it will be that continual process.
Hm - ‘white funeral’. You it took me years to understand the passage in Romans - but through Him I finally did. I don’t know if I would call it ‘white funeral’, but I am a new person through His death and resurrection. Although I still sin in areas in my life - I am made perfect through Him. I can never be perfect - not this side of heaven…but I do strife to be His witness - His witness of love an compassion…And I think if I were perfect here on earth, that I could not reach others who yet not believe, because I could not identify with them. Oh - I don’t know if that makes sense - it does in my head :lol:.
I think that I would need to have a white funeral. But I am still not certain how I am supposed to do God’s will when I don’t feel or “hear” him. I have been saved, but haven’t felt all that much of a difference. Maybe it’s because we still hang out with the same people that I did when I moved to this town, I am not sure. I do feel like I get more angered when I hear certain things out of male’s mouths, specifically when they are talking about females. I feel like I need to change all of the people I am around but can not do that when my boyfriend is still friends with them.
I am not sure what the answer is.
I hope you have a wonderful day!
Dear Brandi,
There have been so many times in my life when I didn’t feel like I could “hear” God. It’s a lonely, miserable feeling…often filled with doubt. Things started changing for me when I began to spend more time praying and reading the Bible. Even if I only have five minutes, my day is affected and I begin to slowly “hear” a still small voice gently leading me in the way I should go. Hope that helps.
Much Love,
Michelle
Ladies, I happened upon this site researching a devotional I am writinng for women and men in prison. Michelle’s comment prompted me to respond since I just finished writing on the subject. It is embodied here…hope it helps…
Doing HIS Time
How Good is Your Hearing?
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel, Samuel! Then Samuel said, “Speak for you servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 4:10 NIV
Ever feel like God isn’t talking to us? Ever wonder why?
To really understand something takes work. If we want to speak another language, we’d buy books or are taught. We’d discipline ourselves to put in the hours to learn. Some of you are great piano players and jammed with groups before prison. Did you wake up one day and play jazz piano. Not likely. It took years of your practicing to achieve excellence. So why don’t we apply this same dedication and discipline to our relationship with God?
God called Samuel three times. Samuel was just a boy, but he knew something was up. Even though Eli had to explain the vision, Samuel heard it because his ears were trained and open to the Lord’s voice.
Why don’t we hear the Lord’s call for our lives? Is it because we take God for granted? Do we expect too much from God thinking that He will get through to us somehow? Or, are we lazy letting our ears will up with the debris of the world. To take our relationship with God as seriously as our relationship with our biker brethren, we must get the world’s wax out of our ears. Then when God calls us, we will hear Him.
What are the Q-Tips for cleaning up our personal lives? If we are in sin, we must repent, and stop. Faithfully attend the in-prison church services. We may not get much out of it, but we will never get anything if we don’t attend. Besides, we may feed someone else. Daily, personal devotions are mandatory to keep our ears clean and tuned in to the voice of God in our daily lives.
With our ears cleaned out, we will hear the soft calling from God.
Challenge: Are we serious about hearing God’s call or are we just talking the talk?
Prayer: Father God, give me the will to clean out my ears of those things that hinder my hearing your call. Amen
Read 1 Samuel 4, for the story of Samuel.
Joanne Weaver publishes most of Oswald Chambers’ piece on a white funeral in “Having a Mary Spirit” (page 91 of paperback version-2006). She includes this verse with it, which helps me to understand that we will never be perfect in this life. “John 10:18 - 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” I can relate to Brandi, who said “I have been saved, but haven’t felt all that much of a difference.” I called out to God and felt his presence when I was 16, and He radically changed my life then. At 40 I accepted Christ, and haven’t really “felt” anything, after having many feelings from asking God to help me at age 16 and having Him come into my life. Thanks to Michelle, who wrote “Things started changing for me when I began to spend more time praying and reading the Bible.” Praying is a regular practice for me, but reading the Bible is not. I keep getting that message over and over from various TV ministries and my own church, and I’m convinced that it is essential. I’m doing a Bible study using the “Having a Mary Spirit” book, and that’s why I googled “White Funeral” and got to this page. In her book, Joanna Weaver has study questions, and one of them is “7. Have you ever experienced the “white funeral” described in the sidebar on page 91? If you feel you are ready to take that kind of step, write out an obituary using your own words and details.” I have taken that step today even though I feel like I don’t have much to witness about, and hope that taking that step will give me more to witness about. God Bless you all!
I know exactly how you feel and I was right where you’re at for 19 years. I call it my wilderness years. I realize now that I couldn’t surrender my whole life and will to God just because I wanted to. It was necessary for the Holy Spirit to lead me to the place where that crisis event had to transpire. (through the crucibles of a difficult marriage and severe loneliness) Welcome crucibles, as they’ll end in your surrender. I wished I had realized that before it happened so I wouldn’t have been so confused while it was happening. I actually thought I was going crazy, but all the pressing in I had done, was actually breaking forth into the Kingdom. Since my white funeral, I find that I’m being used all the time and I’m just along for the ride. I can tell you that it’s definitely different and the change is profound. It’s like I was locked up inside myself for my whole life, but when I finally died to myself and yielded my whole life, will and being up to God for Him to do with as He pleases, I was suddenly free. I did feel death around me, and somedays I still do, but someone told me that’s actually grief over my own death. Oswald Chambers says it’s the fact that our graves have been opened and that’s why you detect death. Since this event, I find witnessing is now easy, people ask me a lot of questions, I’m able to lead people to the Lord, pray with people, and a few people can’t get away from me fast enough
I’m totally open now with the scriptures to all people, and they flow freely from me. I am being used as a vessel now and it feels good. Now I am totally free to get up everyday and say “Okay God, I’m here again. Do whatever you want with me.” and he’s using me all the time! Life is free and I do feel like a kid again! I feel His love all the time and worry has flown away. Some denominations call it the “second blessing”, others call it consecration, some sanctification. Paul called it crucified with Christ. That’s the one I like because it is becoming a living sacrifice. I was a little freaked out at first, but I’m really starting to enjoy it. I highly recommend it but it’s not for the faint of heart. Praise God! By the way, two of the catalysts that brought this on was fasting and a desire to hear God’s voice.