Even when we have assurance of eternal life, it's natural to be apprehensive about the unknown. We may fear a painful death or wonder about the mechanics of life beyond this earth. In Psalm 23, the writer says, "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (Psalm 23:4). The focus is on God's presence in that valley, but we may still shudder at the description. You can almost feel the chill of the shadows. But shadows are only images of a thing, not the thing itself.