An excerpt from the eulogy for Kristen Sauder
Saturday morning the Southeast Christian church family said good-bye to Kristen Sauder, the much-loved and deeply respected wife of Kurt Sauder, a long-time church staff member. Kristen was just forty-five years old. About a year ago, Kurt had resigned his position at Southeast to team up with Kristen for a mutual ministry and that very day they received news that she had cancer. She was an outstanding speaker, writer, wife and mother of four. For the past year thousands of believers have prayed, fasted, anointed with oil and pleaded with God to spare her life. He didn’t answer our prayers the way we had hoped. We are perplexed as to why. Below is an excerpt of some of the remarks I made at her funeral:
Isaiah 55:8-9 reads, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
God’s ways are not our ways. That’s for sure. If we were in charge of the universe we wouldn’t be gathered here for a funeral service for Kristen Sauder. We would have healed her dramatically in answer to the many prayers on her behalf. She would have continued with her family and public ministry for decades to come, because she’s so needed here.
But that didn’t happen and today we come to mourn Kristen’s death…and to ponder the providence of God. Where is that promise that, “All things work together for good to those who love God”? Kristen loved God; it doesn’t seem like things worked out so well for her. Why would God permit this to happen?
I wish I had the capacity to see the future from God’s perspective and foresee all the good that will come from the untimely death of Kristen Sauder. I can’t. But I guarantee you she will not have died in vain. God always keeps His promises. Right now we can’t see how that could be possible because of our human limitations, but there will be good things. The seed of Kristen’s death will bring forth positive fruit.
What if because of the impressive way she handled her illness, the heart of a hardened cynic is softened and he turns to Christ and is saved. Perhaps that conversion would never have happened if Kristen had continued to live for another forty years.
What if a resourceful Christian couple, sitting in this audience, is so touched by the Sauder family’s faith that they are moved to make a generous donation to the suggested charity and that gift makes an enormous difference in the spread of the gospel?
What if a dozen young women whom Kristen has mentored are so touched by her faithfulness in adversity that they vow to use all their giftedness to advance the cause of Christ, and one becomes the next Elizabeth Elliott?
What if, because of their mother’s testimony, Olivia becomes an effective missionary, Drew the next Billy Graham, Ivy forms a ministry to children who lose a parent and Ellie becomes a doctor who discovers a cure for cancer?
What if we look back from heaven and see that God allowed Kurt to resign his position as Campus Minister on the very day Kristen learned she had cancer so he could completely focus on her needs during her final year? What if, at exactly the right time, there’s a new ministry opportunity that opens up for Kurt and the next 40 years of his life God gives him a double measure of His spirit and blessing?
What if you could interview her in heaven today and ask, “Kristen would you come back to earth for another 40 years and live to be 85?” I think she’d respond, “Are you kidding me? Look at where I am now. I’m with Jesus and angels and I’m bonding with baby Graham. I didn’t get that chance on earth since he was miscarried. There are no tears and no pain here. Why would I want to go back to the discomfort of a sinful earth? I trust the Lord to take care of you. I’ll just wait for you here. Time passes so quickly, a thousand years are like a day here. God’s ways are not our ways. They’re so much better. You’ll see. Just trust Him…and wait.”
