Memorial/Grave Side Service
Grace Mikayla Godby
Psalm 139:16
Today we gather to grieve with and support Nick & Jenni Godby.
□ Grace Mikayla was born on April 18 at 7:19pm
□ The excitement of a long awaited pregnancy has come to a terrible, unexpected and painful end.
□ This precious 4lb, 17inch baby was born without life as we know it.
□ In a time like this, we are cut to the very deepest parts of our souls.
□ We are overwhelmed with emotion, with grief, doubts, anger and questions.
o How could God let this happen?
o Why did it happen to us?
o What went wrong?
□ Those are questions for which there are few, if any answers.
I will not insult you by claiming to know what you are going through today.
However, I have stood by the side of others who have suffered the sudden unexpected loss of a loved one.
I’ve learned something through these experiences that I want to share with you today.
I learned that it’s OK:
□ to be confused
□ to be angry
□ to be sad
□ I learned that God is sensitive to our pain and allows us, even desires us to express our emotions to Him.
I want to draw you, Nick & Jenni, Roger & Connie, Mike & Lynn, and all family and friends gathered here today to what I believe is one of the most comforting passages of scripture during this time of loss.
These words were written by King David, and are found in Psalm 139:1-18.
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
I especially want you to hear the words of David from verses 13-16. “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb…My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.”
While Grace’s live body was never seen by you she was seen by God.
While her active frame was hidden from us, she was not hidden from God.
Even though her body was small, and did not survive the womb, God knew her.
Verse 16 is especially important.
It says “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before I lived the first one.”
We often see death as untimely, or early – but God is in control.
□ We are surprised, He is not.
□ We don’t understand but He does.
□ We grieve the loss, but heaven welcomes Grace home.
It may be surprising to you to know that King David, who wrote these words, also lost a baby.
In the moments after that loss, David found comfort in knowing, “I can not bring him back to me, but I will one day go to him.”
David rested in the knowledge that his little boy was with God, and he would be with him one day.
Jesus promised that he was preparing a place for those who love Him, and He said, “Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of Heaven is made up of little ones like these.”
And He placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Your little, precious, Grace now has her citizenship in heaven.
She has been welcomed into the arms of Jesus – and I don’t say these words figuratively – I mean them literally!
I have no doubt in my mind that she has been embraced in the warmth, love and protection of Jesus Christ.
His pierced hands now hold her tight to his chest, He has welcomed her home.
In the last movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy “The Return of the King,” there is a scene where a man is dying of his wounds, and his daughter runs to his side. As she places her face over his, he fixes his eyes on her, and in the midst of his shock and pain, his bearded face breaks into a smile, his eyes brighten, and he says, “I know that face!” He experiences great joy at the appearing of his child.
Today we grieve over the loss of your child:
□ whose eyes you never saw
□ whose ears only new sound from your womb
□ whose lips could not speak
□ whose smile you could not see
But I want you to imagine this in your minds.
□ When Grace opened her eyes for the first time, they saw the glory of God.
□ When her ears heard outside of the womb for the first time, they heard angels rejoicing.
□ When those lips opened for the first time, they sang out in praise of God.
□ The first person to ever see that little face smile was Jesus.
□ His bearded face broke into a smile, His eyes brightened, and he said, “I know that face!, this is Grace”
God wants to talk to you today, Nick & Jenni. His word speaks so clearly to us in all situations. Let me encourage you to hold on to these words. This is God’s word, not mine.
Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 46:1
(NIV) God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
(MSG) God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
Let me close with what perhaps could be a “Love Letter” written by Grace, with the help of Jesus, to her parents, her grandparents, and other family members and friends.
I’M FREE
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free.
I’m following the path God laid for me.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, or to play.
I know my parting has left a void,
You must fill it with joy.
A laugh, or perhaps a kiss.
Ah yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow.
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s now full, and I enjoy much:
Good friends, good times, Jesus’ touch.
I know my time seemed all too brief;
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me;
Follow Jesus . . . Love Him with me.
Before I close with prayer I want to share a message with you from Nick & Jenni. When meeting with them yesterday preparing for today they said, “No matter what we are feeling, we choose to praise God today, just like we did last week.”
To help express their message to you, their family and friends, they want you to hear this song.
Play – Our Praise Goes On by Chris Rice
Prayer
Heavenly Father, in this hour of grief and sorrow, we need your touch. You have promised that you will never leave us or forsake us, but in these days, we need a very special reminder of your presence. Lord God, please bring your peace to Nick and Jenni, their family and friends. Give us the assurance of your love and mercy. Help us, Lord, to proclaim like your prophet Jeremiah,
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness!
Therefore I hope in Him!
By your mercy, Lord, do not allow us to be consumed by grief. We place our hope in you, we trust in your unfailing compassion and your great faithfulness. We commit this beloved little baby to your care, and we look forward to the day when we will be with her, face to face, and with you, in the light of your glory, for all eternity. Amen.
