Summary: C.S. Lewis is one of the great Christian writers of the last century. He wrote many books, including The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Mere Christianity. A lesser-known book of his is called A Grief Observed. In it, he talks about the death of his beloved wife. In this very honest book, Lewis describes his grief as “an amputation.” He means the loss of his wife is something that he can survive, but he will never be the same. The pain of the lost limb or lost loved one will always be there, aching in the background of life. Many of us have lost someone we care about, either suddenly or over a long while. I can relate to this because my dad passed away when I was just 10 years old. Some of us are grieving other losses: the loss of a job, a relationship, or a dream. Maybe someone is grieving the loss of a limb. Grief is a painful part of life, just as joy is a lovely part of life. And just as Christ celebrates with us when we are joyful, He grieves with us when we are overcome with pain. Remember, Jesus wept with His friends over the loss of Lazarus. He showed us what it looks like when the Psalmist writes, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Jesus is there with us in our pain, and He will help us learn to live life again, after the amputation. This is Luis Palau.
