When we lose a loved one, there is a great empty place in our lives that seems impossible to fill. Yet we must go on.
The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus made a remarkable statement when he walked in the temple courts of Jerusalem during the Feast of the Dedication—what Jews today call Hannukah, the Festival of Lights. “I am the light of the world,” Jesus said (John 9:5). He continued, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (10:27-28).
The Light of the world drives away the darkness and sadness we associate with death. His light is life, eternal life, and no one within that radiance need fear anything. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale once said: “Darkness is powerless before the onslaught of light. And so it is with death. We have allowed ourselves to think of it as a dark door, when actually it is a rainbow bridge spanning the gulf between two worlds.”
Death is a fact of life. It is wise to accept it and plan for its consequences. The grief it causes is entirely natural. But remember: Death does not have the last word. The risen Son of God gets the final say, and he is all about light and life!
Download your FREE ebook, A Prayer for Every Need, by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.
