God Speaking

“For the lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

(Revelation 7:17)

Just recently a long-time friend and I were talking about our lives and the many experiences we had shared together as neighbours, friends and nearly twenty years of volunteering together in an outreach ministry to Single Mothers. The stories were interlaced with lots of laughter, but also sprinkled with tears as we remembered not only the challenges of the women we worked with, but the upheavals of our own personal lives, that we also weathered together. My friend remembered one very difficult stage of her life and as she was speaking I suddenly remembered her beautiful gift of poetry and also remembered the poem she had given to me during that terrible trial she was facing. The Lord had spoken comforting words to her which she was able to record through her gift of writing. That following day I found the poem and marvelled how our Heavenly Father was able to wipe away her tears through the gift he had given her. I asked her if I could share it with you;

Beloved

You are my dear, beloved child,

I hear each word that causes you such pain

I’ve seen each tear, you have not cried in vain,

I’m right beside you when you stumble and you fall

I’ve heard your anguished cry for help and answered quick your call

I’ve picked you up and carried you when battles you have lost

Each one has long since been forgiven on the cross

Come, now and rest awhile beneath the shadow of my wings

And so refresh your soul

Come, drink from quiet, peaceful streams

And I will make you whole.

– Elvera Corben, 1987

As I re-read my friend’s poem I was yet again able to marvel at the Father’s love for his children. Once we commit our lives to him we will never cry alone. We will never have to say, “nobody cares about what I am going through” No tears will ever fall unnoticed, we have his promise that no matter what has happened, no matter what mistakes we may have made, no matter how huge the problem is, he will be right beside us;

“…The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:8)

Sometimes we may see tears as a form of weakness, but Jesus himself was not ashamed to cry in front of others at the death of his friend Lazarus, so he can identify with any raw emotion that can overcome us.

“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)

We can look forward to that special day when there will be no need to cry anymore for sorrow and sadness will be no more.

“…They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Isaiah 35:10)