Ravi Zacharias was laid to rest on Thursday, May 21, in a private ceremony in Georgia.
His family gathered to honor not just the leader of a global ministry or an evangelist-apologist who crisscrossed the globe in the service of Christ, but a loving husband, a nurturing father, and a loyal and generous brother.
Sam Allberry, who officiated the service, rightly reminded all that this is not the end of Ravi’s story. Hovering over the whole ceremony was the confidence of the words that had saved Ravi’s life 57 years ago: “Because I live, you will also live”.
The casket was made by prisoners at Angola prison. They held a very special place in Ravi’s heart.
Ravi wrote about his request to be buried in a casket fashioned by Angola inmates in his most recent book, Seeing Jesus from the East. He wrote of the inspirational lessons to be learned from the inmates.
Ravi wrote, “These prisoners know that this world is not their home, and that no coffin could ever be their final destination. Jesus assured us of that. Such is the gospel story.” He added, “The story of the gospel is the story of eternal life. My life is unique and will endure eternally in God’s presence. I will never be ‘no more.’ I will never be lost because I will be with the One who saves me.”
Ravi passed away on May 19 after a short battle with cancer at the age of 74.