Rev. 21:4-5
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be
no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any
more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon
the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write:
for these words are true and faithful.
If you sit down and really think about it, pain is a difficult thing to
describe! Oftentimes when our children are sick and tell us "it hurts",
we ask them what their pain feels like. The words usually don't come easily
as they try first one adjective and then the other to convey to us the
discomfort they are experiencing. Doctors could probably share with us
some interesting descriptions they've received of the pain described to
them by their patients. Can men and women really convey to one another
their pain? Can a husband really understand the hurts he brings upon his
wife from time to time? Can a wife understand the pain she causes her
husband? Can parents really understand the pain that divorce inflicts
upon their children? Can you and I fathom the pain the victims of terrorism
are experiencing at this very moment?
Inflammation produces pain; wounds, bruises and incisions give pain. Pressure,
spasms, and separation of parts causes pain. Pain is uneasiness of mind;
anxiety;
disquietude; torture; concern for the future; sorrow for the past. Labor
and exercise pains our limbs. Grief pains our heart... We suffer pain
when we fear or expect evil; we feel pain at the loss of friends or property.
Penalties and punishments prompt pain. Yes, pain comes in all shapes and
sizes and all manner of experience and it feels differently to each one
of us. It is all absorbing and clings cruelly. Who then can know our pain??
Only the One who can make all things new...
2 Cor. 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Ezekiel 36:26, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will
I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you an heart of flesh."
Lament. 3:22-23, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,
because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is
thy faithfulness."
Our opening verse states that God shall wipe away all their tears...Who
are the "they" scripture refers to? Those who have been made new in Christ!
These are the only ones who have the promise of their pain being taken
away forever...
Would you be one of them, dear lady? Those who are not born-again are
facing far greater pain than what they have experienced in this life,
even greater than what the families suffering at the hand of terrorism
are experiencing this very moment. Someone needs to tell them there is
a place for their pain! Someone needs to tell them that it will only be
worse unless they understand that it is only GOD who can fully understand
their pain and wants to make all things new for them...
Psalm 38:1-11, "O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me
in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand
presseth me sore.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there
any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over
mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink
and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down
greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with
a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble
and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes,
it also is gone from me. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my
sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off."
Psalm 25:18, "Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my
sins."
In the midst of pain, the psalmist cried out to God... Unfortunately,
many people don't respond to Biblical truth until they experience pain.
Hence, the great purpose of pain in that it is necessary to get our attention.
Are you willing to listen to God for the truth's sake, dear lady, or do
you turn to Him only when you are hurting?? If we try to save our physical
life from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing eternal life!
If we protect ourself from pain, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally...
Our life turns inward, and we lose our intended purpose. When we give
our life to Christ, however, we discover the real purpose of living and
the promise of pain relief.
Matthew 8:16-17, "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that
were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word,
and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken
by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare
our sicknesses."
Matthew repeatedly shows Christ's kingly nature. Through a single touch,
Jesus healed; when He spoke a single word, evil spirits fled His presence.
Jesus has authority over all evil powers and all earthly disease. He also
has power and authority to conquer sin. Pain and evil are consequences
of living in a fallen world and Christians are not exempt from it. But
in the future, when God removes all sin, there will be no more sickness,
sorrow, pain, or death. Christ's healing miracles were a taste of what
believers will one day experience in God's kingdom! As a matter of fact,
heaven is so wonderful that the best way John found to describe it in
our opening verse was to point out the contrast between life on earth
with eternal life in using the words - "NO MORE". However your pain feels
to you right now, if you know Christ as your Savior, it will be no more!
Isn't that a blessed thought?! I remember from childbirth that if I concentrated
on my pain, it seemed as if it increased... By turning our focus toward
the Lord and His promises, and taking our pain to the One who makes all
things new can lessen the unpleasantness of it and the continual distraction
it brings. The more it hurts, the more your focus on the Lord should increase;
as pain clings to you, cling tighter to the Cross... When we face hardship
and discouragement, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. But we're
not alone; there is help! Many have already made it through life, enduring
far more difficult circumstances than you and I have experienced.
Romans 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Lean heavenward and relieve your pain...soon all things shall be new!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
