Sorrows End

" And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, " Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes: and there will no longer be any death: there will no longer by any mourning, or crying, or pain: the first things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said, " Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, " Write, for these words are faithful and true." Revelation 21:3-5 (NASB)

Many tragedies have happened in recent weeks and months. We experienced tornadoes in our area in Raleigh. Violent tornadoes hit Joplin, MO and practically wiped out a whole town. We have seen on the news flooding in the mid-west, and wildfires in Texas and Arizona.

We are touched by tragedies in our own lives with family members receiving the bad news that they have the dreaded disease of cancer. Today I received news that a dear friend of mine lost a loved one. This brave young man died from his wounds he received on the battle field.

Sometimes it just seems so overwhelming to hear, much less to experience these sorrows. Recently I was reading a devotional written by Randy Alcorn and I thought it would be a good time to share this.

"God promises that one day there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. As we are acutely aware, that day has not yet come. But notice how Jesus caps off His promise to His disciple John: He says John should write the words down because they are "trustworthy and true." In other words, He is saying, " John, my beloved friend and servant, you can take these words to the bank: I'll stake my life on them, In fact, I already have."

Christ promises- in writing- a resurrected life on the New Earth, an eternal life without sorrow and pain in a glorious new world. Talk about light at the end of the tunnel!

Devastation and tragedy feel just as real for those with faith as they do for those who have none. But knowledge that others have suffered and learned to trust God anyway gives the faithful strength to keep going. Because they do not place their hope for health and abundance and secure relationships in this life but in an eternal life to come, believers' hope remains firm regardless of what happens.

And on the other side of earth, God promises that all who know him will experience acceptance into His holy, loving, and gracious arms- which is the greatest miracle, the answer to the problem of evil and suffering. He promises us an eternal kingdom on the New Earth, where he will wipe away every tear from the eyes of those who come to trust him in this present and temporary world of pain. "

( Devotion written by Randy Alcorn from the devotional book, " 90 Days of God's Goodness"