The death of NBC reporter David Bloom came as a sad shock today. Bloom's enthusiasm for his craft and his love of people came through in all of his work. For my family and me, fans of NBC News, Bloom was like a fixture in our home, a familiar face and a sane voice in the maelstrom of world events. His reports from Iraq during the war have been especially outstanding.

His sudden death from an embolism is a cautionary note for us all. Life on this planet is fleeting. It's a brief, but important prelude to eternity. That's one reason why it's so important to have our relationship with God squared away. Eternity lasts a lot longer than life does here and eternity with God is not automatic.

The Bible's most well-known passage is John 3:16. There, Jesus tells a man named Nicodemus: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." God wants to spend eternity with us. But He doesn't force that upon us. When we choose to follow Jesus Christ, we choose to travel through this life and the next one with God.

My prayers are with David Bloom's wife and three girls at this terrible time. I'm thankful for the great work he did as a reporter. His tragic death makes me more committed to sharing the Good News of God's love offered to all people through Jesus Christ. All people who face the uncertainties of this fragile existence--and that's every one of us--need Jesus Christ!