Two times in the Book of Revelation the Word of God tells us that God will wipe away all our tears. This has to be one of the most personal and compassionate images of the Lord in all the Word of God. There are days when we want to weep. Jesus wept at the tomb of his friend, at the unbelief of the city of Jerusalem, and when he cried out to God in Gethsemane. Like Jesus want to cry when we lose a loved one, when we see our loved ones make horrible mistakes, and when we cry out to God for strength that is beyond ourselves. We look forward to the day when there will be no more weeping, because God will set all things to right.
As I read the words of Revelation I was struck with the thought, why would be crying in heaven? Here is the biggest reason that comes to my mind, we are are not worthy to be there. Perhaps for the first time ever we experience the full power of grace. If that does not make you cry nothing can.
Revelation 20 speaks of the great Judgment seat of God. He opens the Book of Life and then the books. The Book of Life is the citizenship book of Heaven. The only way we can get our names written into the book is be adopted into the family of God. We we come to Christ and have all our sins washed away our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. For that we rejoice and change our lives to be more like Jesus. However, there is still the issue of the opening of the books.
These books record all we have said and done while on earth. These deeds do not get us into or necessarily keep us out of heaven, it is only by the blood of Christ we are made holy, not by works. However, if God were to open the books of our lives and lay out all our mistakes, betrayals, lusts, words we wish we could take back, and so on we would no doubt be weeping. No one enters into heaven with their head held high because they believe they have earned their way into Glory. Rather, we all enter in knowing we are only allowed in because of the grace of Christ. Thus, perhaps, we will need Him to wipe away all our tears. Our tears will be tears of shame, but also tear of joy and happiness. Once and for all our sinful nature is gone, our sins are no more for anyone to ever bring up again, and we are with Jesus. I can't wait to have reunion with those that are there now. Some of which I have never met, but I feel like I know because I have read about them so much. I can't wait till the time when there is no more need for grief or suffering of any kind. When there is no more cancer, or liver disease, or diabetes, or dementia, or mean people. Come Lord Jesus.
Here is this week's texts
August 30, 2013 Ps 85–88, 1 Cor 2:6–3:17, Ps
103:title–5, Prov 21:19–20
August 31, 2013 Ps 89–90, 1 Cor 3:18–4:13, Ps
103:6–12, Prov 21:21–23
September 01, 2013 Ps 91–95, 1 Cor 4:14–5:13, Ps
103:13–22, Prov 21:24–26
September 02, 2013 Ps 96–101, 1 Cor 6, Ps 104:1–5,
Prov 21:27–28
September 03, 2013 Ps 102–103, 1 Cor 7:1–24, Ps
104:6–10, Prov 21:29–31
September 04, 2013 Ps 104–105, 1 Cor 7:25–8:13, Ps
104:11–18, Prov 22:1–3
September 05, 2013 Ps 106, 1 Cor 9:1–18, Ps 104:19–24,
Prov 22:4–5
September 06, 2013 Ps 107–109, 1 Cor 9:19–10:13, Ps
104:25–35, Prov 22:6–8
September 07, 2013 Ps 110–115, 1 Cor 10:14–11:1, Ps
105:1–4, Prov 22:9–11
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