Beloved one, whose heart is sorely bruised, thou art not left alone. Though unseen, there is One who once wept here, and stands beside thee. He would make Himself better known to thy sorrowing heart. He feels thy loss. Thy grief is His. Though Creator of the universe, He knows thy bitter sorrow and would comfort thee in thy bereavement. He sees thy tears, hears thy sighs, thy meanings, thy prayers. HE WEEPS WITH THEE! He is "the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief"-the gracious tender Jesus who had compassion for the widow's sorrows and said to her, "Weep not."

He has cheer for thee in this hour of loneliness and tears. Thy loved one now rests in His everlasting arms. He assures thee this is "far better." To be with Him is "fulness of joy." Not a groan to mar, not a tear to dim the unsullied light of His presence where thy loved one has gone. Those nail-prints, that pierced side, are blessed mementoes of His work of redemption at Calvary, where He went through sorrow infinite and unmeasured that we might be with Him, without blame and spotless; and there, to His own in glory, His blessed face shines as the brightness of the sun, in a scene where sorrow and death are unknown.

Sorrowing one, thou too wilt see His face-with Him and like Him forever! This short span of life through the barren desert will soon be o'er. The glory bids thee to press onward. He who now feels with thee in thy loss will soon be thy portion forever and ever. He is coming soon. That triumphant shout is imminent. When that shout is heard, our loved ones who have "died in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words."

Sorrowing child of God, this blessed One will never leave thee nor forsake thee. He seeks thy companionship through this wilderness pathway, which leads on to eternal glory. Matchless grace that He should want our company! He will sustain and cheer thee during the "little while" thou art passing through this scene, till thou shalt see His blessed face. Then, in unison with the loved ones gone before, whom we miss and now mourn, we shall raise one loud, triumphant shout of praise to Him who is worthy. What a blessed ending to these "sufferings of a little while."