Some days I’m overwhelmed by the suffering that plagues the world around me. When I come across innocent people suffering, I’m thankful that this world is not “it.” [How often I forget that simple truth, though! Each day, I need a kick in the pants as well as God shouting the following through a megaphone: “This world is not about you! Your permanent home is still to come.”]
This morning while spending some time with the Lord, I read a passage in Revelation that makes me incredibly excited for Heaven. I love the imagery of Christ stooping down to wipe the tears from the child’s (adult’s) face.
Max Lucado writes:
“The same hands that stretched the heavens will touch your cheeks. The same hands that formed the mountains will caress your face. The same hands that curled in agony as the Roman spike cut through will someday cup your face and brush away your tears. Forever.”
I wish I could scoop up all the suffering children in Uganda and give them the hope of what’s to come: no sadness, no hurt, no pain, no hunger, no tears, no rape, no theft, no sickness, no HIV/AIDs, no LRA, no war, no child-headed families….
Sometimes my selfish heart asks God "um hey, could you wait a few years before you come back for us? Ya know, give me some time to _____ [get married, raise a family, travel, etc.] But when I read His promises (like in Rev. 7) of what's to come, I think of the suffering souls on earth and then can't help but think to myself, heaven can’t come soon enough.
2 comments:
Touched to tears Ashley ... How can we not give it away so freely ...
I feel the same way. after seeing the Hutong neighborhoods in Beijing, within walking distance of Tiananmen Square. I read a quote recently: "How is it that so few have heard the Gospel many times, when SO MANY have not even heard it once?" It is so saddening, but there is hope. The whole world needs Christ, each and every soul. How can we keep the Good News to ourselves?
Thanks for this post. :-)
John 3:16
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