Walking Home

Read: Psalm 23 Owen looked at the frail man on the bed. Grandpa’s getting so weak, he thought. I know he’s going to die soon. “Are you afraid, Grandpa?” he asked. “No, Owen.” Grandpa smiled as he reached for Owen’s hand. “I’m not afraid to die. Jesus is with me. I’m going home to be with Him.” Owen nodded, but he thought he’d be afraid anyway. After all, he couldn’t see Jesus! Later that afternoon, Owen got a text from his friend Kian. “Wanna come over for a while?” Kian asked. “Mom says you can stay for supper.” After checking with his mom, Owen walked across the field to Kian’s house. A few hours later, the boys had just finished a game when Owen glanced out the window. “It’s already dark!” he said, jumping to his feet. “I gotta go!” As Owen started across the field, he could barely make out the path. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, casting weird shadows on the waving grass. Strange sounds came from the trees at the edge of the field. Owen’s heart thumped, and his knees felt weak. Don’t be a baby, he told himself. Shadows can’t hurt anyone. “Owen?” a voice called from the darkness. For a second, Owen’s heart almost stopped, but then he recognized the familiar voice. “Dad! I’m so glad to see you!” Owen said in a wobbly voice. “Or at least, I’m glad to hear you. It’s so dark, I can hardly see anything.” “I know. I came to walk home with you,” Dad said. “I thought you might like some company crossing this dark field.” With Dad beside him, Owen felt like the shadows were friendly, and the sounds were no longer scary. When they got home, Owen went to Grandpa’s room to tell him about the experience. “Once I knew Dad was there, I wasn’t scared anymore,” Owen said, “even though I couldn’t see him. It was almost like I could feel him with me.” He hesitated. “Is that kind of how you’re not afraid to die?” “Exactly,” said Grandpa. “Death is like a dark shadow, and even though I can’t see Jesus, I know He’s there. I feel His presence, and with Him beside me, there’s nothing to be afraid of.” Owen nodded, beginning to understand. –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Do you know someone who is dying? Are you afraid of dying yourself? For a Christian, death is like a shadow. As Psalm 23 says, you don’t have to fear death when Jesus is with you. In fact, the last verse of the Psalm tells what will happen to you if you know Jesus as your Savior. It says you will “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Jesus promises to walk with you through everything, even death, and bring you home to heaven with Him. Today’s key verse: Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me. Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Christians don’t have to fear death