Recommendations for funeral planning

I am 78 and preparing my wishes for my funeral. I am in good health but want all of this in order before something does happen to me. I'm struggling with two things - what I want on my headstone and what Psalm I would like my funeral sermon based on. I will be buried next to my parents. They have "Cling To the Cross" on their headstone. I would like something short and meaningful as well. If someone could give me maybe three suggestions for the headstone and also Psalms to choose from, that would be wonderful. Thank you for your time and assistance.

I actually worked in a cemetery for five summers in my student days, so I saw many, many headstones. Unfortunately, I did not write down the better and more meaningful inscriptions that I observed.

Meaning inscriptions that do come to mind are: “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21), “In the cross of Christ I glory” (Christian Worship hymnal 345:1), “Heaven is my home” (Christian Worship 417), and “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

There are many psalms that could serve well as sermon texts for a Christian funeral service. Again, some that come to mind are: Psalm 23, Psalm 27, Psalm 46, Psalm 103 and Psalm 121. Personal preference will determine if an entire psalm or selected verses are suggested as the sermon text. Your pastor would be a good resource to utilize in making decisions in these areas.

I do commend you for making these plans. All too often, these plans can be left to surviving family members who must then make decisions in a short window of time regarding suggested sermon texts and Scripture readings.

Finally, how wonderful it is that you and I can make plans like these in full confidence in what our Lord promises: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). God bless you.