cairns

I was meeting with my Masters students today and as we were finishing devotions we started sharing prayer concerns.  Several students shared situations were people were dealing with the loss caused by sudden deaths.  One had mused about the strength of one of the people involved to be able to declare even in the pain that, “God is good.”  We continued sharing and were talking about how families need our prayers, but also our presence for the long haul including knowing that you still remember their loved one, and a sharp visual image hit me which I shared with them.

So often in times of grief we go numbly through passages like Psalm 23.  We read words about passing through the “Valley of the Shadow” and we picture ourselves having strength to survive dark, desperate, frightening places.  But, we claim to live in the presence of the Light!  We claim to have a loving relationship with the Light that will not leave us or forsake us.  If you put the two together a whole new image appears.  When you have light, the darker the surroundings get the brighter your light appears.  Ever seen a match in a cave?

This has been a hard two years.  It has been a hard summer.  But, this image was powerfully healing.  Last school year with physical pain, and personal loss to endure, an important part of that light was my precious group of fourth graders at Hebron, but its source was even deeper.  When a believer walks through dark places, the Light is blazing.  It is time to notice and live.

peace

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