The Widow's & Widower's WalkSample

WALK ON, WALK ON, WITH HOPE IN YOUR HEART!

Jesus knew His disciples would mourn Him after He went to the cross. That is one of the reasons why He sent the Comforter. He understood loss because he experienced it when his friend Lazarus died and when he learned of His beloved John’s death.  From His own experience with grief, He knew that humankind would need a Comforter, and so He sent the Holy Spirit.  He wants us to use the power of the Holy Spirit that resides within us!  The main reason for sending the power of the Holy Spirit was to us is to enable us to be witnesses for Him.  But it is also there for all our needs. Another name for the Holy Spirit is Advocate.   

An Advocate is someone who goes to bat for us!

Jesus spoke the following words as He was preparing His disciples for His earthly death:

But now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.  But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  —John 16:5-7

It helps me in my grief to see that Jesus used that very word "grief" as He spoke of loss.  It helps me to know that He foreknew our needs and loved us so much that He made a way so that we would never have to walk this road alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to reside within those hearts that accept Him as their Savior!  

To think that the very Spirit of the Living God resides within us is mind-blowing and so powerful!  As we walk on, He is right there walking with us!  Even in the shadow of death, even in the grip of grief!  Our enemy is Satan.  He tricks us with negative thoughts. We begin to think that because our spouse is not beside us, we are walking alone, but that is a lie.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  —Psalm 23:4

The shepherd of sheep used a staff to steady himself over rocky terrain and a rod to pull a sheep back into line.  How beautiful an illustration! As we walk through rocky times, we know that our Shepherd is Jesus! 

It is up to us to change how we face each day.  It is up to us to decide how our minds will think.  God has prepared and provided the way, and He has promised that He will never leave us! He has promised us the hope of eternity in His presence to those who believe in Him!

You and I will always miss our loved ones. Our human side wants them to be here every day, yet there comes a time when we must "walk on, walk on, with hope in our hearts" because we "never walk alone"!