No More Tears

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.

Growing up I found out early one that I was an emotional person.  It didn’t take much to make me cry and it didn’t take much to make me angry.  I could get hot in a second – but thankfully I could also release my emotions and level off quickly.

As I aged I grew to control my anger – most times – but my tears came to flow more freely it seems.  I remember my maternal grandmother passing and how I cried at her funeral.  My cousin – same age – laughed at me for crying and his father took him by the scruff of the neck out of the room.  He came back in and told me look – I’m crying too.  I guess it takes more to make some cry than others – lol.

My family wasn’t sure I should celebrate my father’s funeral (as pastor) – which was his request – and I tried to hand it off to several clergy friends – but in the end – I ended up celebrating his life and thanks be to God I made it through pretty well.  My siblings were surprised!  I can remember several funerals where I didn’t fare too well – like the funeral for my brother’s future father-in-law who died suddenly the week of his wedding.  I lost it pretty much at that service and at others for sure.  My family had reason to be concerned about how I would fair celebrating my father’s life.

Tears have flown from my eyes as I watch most anything that is sad or touching.  I’ve cried at episodes of Boy Meets World (yes I have).  I’ve cried watching It’s a Wonderful Life – even for the 100^th time it seems (and I’m preaching from that series during Advent).  I cried walking each of my daughter’s down the aisle and when I was asked who brings this woman to be married to this man (no one I thought could love them like their mother and father).  I cried when – after 24 hours – we lost our first grandchild when her mother changed her mind and decided to parent her.  I cried when I was at the bedside of my father – many times – over the last few months of his life and again the night he died and often since.  I could continue but I think you get the picture.

I love using today’s passage at funerals and even often in my own life – realizing that there will be a time when the tears will stop flowing.  Here is today’s passage in partial context.  It is part of John’s (the Beloved disciple) vision from God we call Revelations.  Revelation 21:1-6 – 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 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.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

I guess until that time – when I am in the presence of God for eternity – the tears will flow when my heart is touched a particular way.  Call me sensitive if you wish – I have been called worse – but I look forward to the day when the tears will cease and I can rejoice again and again that God is my God and I am His child for eternity.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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