Are you ever struck with an overwhelming sense that you don’t know much about life? I received a paper from one of my psych students who wrote about being on a patrol in Afghanistan and coming under fire. One of the four men he was with was killed. He said he did not cry until he got back to base but then he wept uncontrollably. He described it as a strange mixture of sorrow for the man lost, relief and thanksgiving that he was safe and unharmed, and guilt for still being alive. We are complex beings. Rarely is something simple.
I don’t understand Revelation 21:3 & 4 which describes heaven. It reads, “I heard a loud voice from the throne. It said, ‘Now God makes his home with people. He will live with them. They will be his people. And God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sadness. There will be no more crying or pain. Things are no longer the way they used to be.’”
We cry for many reasons. Could it be this passage is speaking only about crying in the context of pain? Will we not cry for happiness? Will we not be emotionally overwhelmed by God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice? When I am happy it overflows out of my eyes. What of crying for our loved ones who are not saved? Will we no longer care because, “Well, we made it”? If anything I think our love will be deepened as we become more like our Savior. I do not want to lose the deepest part of my humanity. There is so much I don’t understand.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 28, 2014
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org