I’m alive and I’m here forever

Mine is not a voice of reason although journalists certainly appear to need one given the superlatives heaped upon the memory of Michael Jackson. This was the day of Michael’s public memorial. It was over the top.

I officiated hundreds of funeral services over a forty year pastoral career. Believe me, I have heard it all when it comes to embellishing a memory. No, I was wrong. Today I heard things I had never before heard at a memorial service. It seems like people cannot say enough kind words about Michael Jackson now that he is gone. Go figure!

Think about it. The title of this piece was the title of the tribute to Michael - I’m alive and I’m here forever. It is left for the reader to envision Michael speaking these words. How like the Saviour Jesus Christ they sound. It’s an understandable funeral sentiment given Michael’s premature death. He will be alive in people's memory forever of course.

As the memorial began a wonderful choir sang the words of a 1976 song with text and music by Andrae Crouch. Church going people have always understood the “King” as a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. Here are the lyrics.

“Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” No more crying there, we are going to see the King. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We're going to see the King. No more dying there, we are going to see the King. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We're going to see the King.”

And then the casket was rolled to the dais at the front of the Staples Centre. People had come to honour the King and The King of Pop had arrived.

The Jackson family’s pastor, Pastor Lucious said of Michael, “He will be there forever and he will comfort us.” Maya Angelou’s poem was read and called Jackson “Our bright and shining star.” They spoke of Jackson as the key person to establish racial equality in America, to promote love throughout the world. It makes you want to say, “mmmmmmmmmmmm.”

Sincerely, I trust that Michael Jackson has gone to see the King. There is only one way you know. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Pastor Lucious Smith included the necessary prescriptive in his prayer as he said, "The King of Pop must bow his knee to the King of Kings."