What My Dad Wanted People to Know

I helped officiate at the funeral service for my Dad last month. My Brother gave a great sermon about how God spoke through my Dad and what God's message is for us at a time like this. Here are some more of my brother's thoughts about my Dad. I, for lack of a better term at the moment, "emceed" the service.

I started off with the Shema, which is Duet. 6:4, in Hebrew. My Dad recently discovered that his Mother was Jewish and this is the prayer that a Jewish man will say at the beginning of each day.

I also shared three things that my Dad would want us all to know. The first thing was that God is very real and we can really know him. My Dad has been through some tough times and has discovered that God really does come through for you. Not always on our time or in a way we would want, but he always comes through and is always there for us.

The second thing was that the greatest treasures we have are the treasures that we already have around us. Our family and friends. As such, we should treasure these things above whatever else we strive for. My Dad believed this and would really want everyone else to understand this too.

The third thing, I saved for the end of the service, right before closing I chanted the Aaronic Benediction (Numbers 6:22-27) in Hebrew. It is the prayer that says, "May the lord bless you and keep you; may He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may He lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace."