He has always been my big brother. When I was young, he was my caretaker while our parents were at work. He took me with him all those years to go skating, to the movies, to go swimming. We both grew up to be science teachers and shared summer vacations together with our families.
         Now we live many miles apart but still carry on long phone discussions about scientific events in the world. But over time something changed in his life that has drastically affected mine. He changed. He became estranged from his daughter because she talked too much about her faith in Jesus. She is no longer allowed to visit his home although she lives only a few miles away.
         My brother and I still talk on the phone but I have to be very careful about comments I make concerning my faith because he will become angry and hang up on me. How sad it is to lose a lifelong relationship with my big brother. But even sadder is to see him live a life of anger and resentment against God.
         I can’t help but think…what must it be like for anyone to live without God? How do they face death? How do they live without seeing a future? How do they deal with problems they face in life? How can they process surgeries, illness and the challenges of growing old? Someday they will face God on judgement day and He will say…†I never knew you.â€
         Although it is heartbreaking to see my brother’s state of mind, it makes me even more aware of how grateful I am, of how thankful I am of my faith in Jesus and realize that my life today and my future lie in the hands of a merciful God who loves me and has promised me an eternal life in His presence.
Psalm 3:3â€But you are a shield around me, Oh Lord…To the Lord I cry aloud and he answers me.â€
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