REVELATION 21:1-4 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
THEME OF THE DAY. SOON, VERY SOON. Every person is unique. There is not another you in the entire world. Nor another me. Diverse is an understatement when we consider the wonder of God’s choice creation – humanity. Yet each of us, in fact, all of humanity, share exactly the same experiences. In today’s scripture, there are five of those experiences common to all in this life but will be removed forever in the next – tears, death, mourning, crying, and pain. But before then, how do we endure the miseries sin brought into our daily experiences? Allow me to offer two helps.
First, we should not expect life to be one lived on a near constant plane of happiness, problem-free, and relatively easy to manage. And we are prone to think, even expect, life to be so. Don’t think so? Look in our lives when “sudden circumstances” come upon us that bring pain, try our faith, and upset our routines tempting us to complain and grumble. We get discouraged, disappointed, even disillusioned by failed expectations. The Apostle Peter would tell us not to be surprised with these realities of living in a cursed world – Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you (1 Peter 4:12). If we are to endure the hardness of life with joy and grow in the Lord through them, then settle in our hearts and minds, the norms in life under the curse of God are pain, sorrow, grieving, and much tear-letting.
The next thing to endure, even spiritually prosper through the miseries of living in a world turned upside down by sin is be reminded all this will be over soon. We hear again the wise counsel of Peter – And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:10). The two most important truths in Peter’s words to help us are “suffered a little while” and “God of all grace.” Every trial in this life, thought it often doesn’t feel like it, is short. Soon, very soon, all will end and due to the “God of all grace”, we will go to the land of no more tears, death, mourning, crying, and pain. Think on the brevity of life and we will find the grace to endure and grow through the miseries of life in this sin-cursed world.
PRAYER: “Father, thank You for the sure hope of a new heaven and earth where pain is no more.”
QUOTE: “Think often of heaven and the strength to endure the miseries of this life will come.”