Tears wiped away - Revelation 21:4

Revelation 21:4   "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (NIV).

   This week I had the blessing of comforting a boy who was hurting in his heart, a boy of whom I am like an uncle, and who I love.  He is my best buddy.  Hearing a child softly weep is the saddest sound I have ever heard.

   Samoa was the one country outside of my own I traveled to in my youth.  It was a privilege spending some time there with my family.  Many Samoan men are strong gentleman, yet back in the 1970’s they would cry openly at funerals or other tragedies.  That was considered a good act in their culture.  Crying in the American culture, at least for men, has been for many years viewed as a sign of weakness.  I have learned from ministry work however that what many people do is hold it in and then cry in private.

   As someone who has committed himself to unique ministry work for years, in every ministry field I have ever entered there have been times when I have shed some tears.  Whenever I have gone to do ministry work somewhere long term, I have learned of many people’s hurts, and sometimes I have been hurt even as I tried to do ministry work.  The hope through all of the tragedy has been the love of Jesus which I and others have known.

   If you go by a Biblical mode, crying is warranted whether done in public or private.  The Bible makes it clear that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35 NIV).  The sin of people, Adam, Eve, and all people, is the reason there is death and mourning and crying and pain.  We followers of Jesus are called by God to allow Him to improve us so we will sin less and less, and love more and more.  And when hurt due to the sins of others, we must rely on Jesus to forgive.  After following Jesus for twenty-five years, I realize the best gifts I have given to people in their good times and their rough times have been telling people the Gospel, giving people brotherly hugs, shedding tears for their hurts, and praying for them, even if they did not know about the latter two.

   My young friend gave me a calendar last February.  The calendar has Proverbs 7:2 written on it, and a picture of mountains which look like the Appalachian mountains, which I am fond of.  The darkest of clouds are in the forefront, yet there is a large hole in the clouds from which intense sunlight is beaming through.  Jesus is the light who will break through the darkest cloud for the person who will open his or her heart to Him.  He is the One who was resurrected from the dead, and Jesus is the One who has made it possible for you to have eternal life in heaven.
   Jesus Christ died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  He was the penal substitution for the consequences of sins.  Then Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and now He does reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit in heaven, One God, forever and ever.  If you believe in Jesus, one day, He will wipe your tears, and my tears, away.
Hunter