Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

Revelation 21:4 NLT

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/rev.21.4

What comes to your mind when you hear “gone forever”? Is it opportunities missed, wealth squandered, or broken relationships now out of your reach? I hear two words most often associated with “gone forever”: regret and relief.

Regret represents aspects of life that could have, and should have, been handled differently. Relief speaks to trauma, drama, and pain that once dominated life, and now is no more.

For followers of Jesus, there is coming a time where all our regrets, and all the things we seek relief for are gone forever. We do not know when this will happen. We do know the details of how this will happen.

What we do know from God’s word is:

• There is a time where things as they are will come to an end.
• God will come and dwell with us.
• God will make all things new.
• Death, sorrow, crying, or pain are gone forever.

We know something else from God’s word. We are able to live in this direction of being transformed and renewed now. God has everything bent towards making all things new. God redeems us, restores us, forgives us, leads us into truth, and gives us everything needed to follow into a new way of living.

This week I have sat, listened, and prayed with people who are really going through a hard time. There is much death, sorrow, crying and pain. I am so grateful for the hope we have in Jesus Christ, the comfort and peace of the Holy Spirit, and the love of God the Father.

God promises us, that a time is coming where all that hurts is gone forever.

Encouragement: Take God at his word. He is helping you now in the epic challenges of life. He is moving you towards a day and time where all that is hurtful and wrong will be gone forever as God himself comes to live among us.

Dear Father,

Thank You for the incredible hope we have in You. I do look forward to the day where death, sorrow, crying and pain are gone forever. Thank You for being near us now. Thank You that the Holy Spirit lives within us, guiding us through the challenges of life. 

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

–Ed McDowell, Executive Director
Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center