Revelation 21:1-4 - "There Will Be A Day"

The first thing that came out of my mouth when I received a call to go to the hospital last night  to be with a family of one who was unresponsive was "Lord, please don't let this be a family I know."  On the way I prayed and asked Him to give me His words and His strength with whoever I found myself ministering to.  He told me He was with me and I knew no matter what, I would be able to do what He put before me.  I told Him that I knew I could minister to whoever it was but I also am emotional right now with the pain and the steroids and prayed for His strength.  He provided in a mighty way.

In the first few minutes after she took her last breathe one family member said, "I know she's in a better place."  That's the exact words I recently read that one should never say to those who lose a loved one.  The book stated those words are empty words.  As I listened to this one say them I knew there was no emptiness in them at all.  There was hope.  There was belief.  She went onto say that her sister was no longer in pain and for that she was grateful.  I talked to her about the different emotions we experience at the time of a death.  There is the sadness in knowing we are separated from them.  Yet there is also joy in knowing we will be reunited with them.  As I was comforting this family I had a chorus we use to sing in Children's Church going through my mind.  It went something like this...

Heaven is a wonderful place…filled with glory and grace…I want to see my Savior's face cause heaven is a wonderful place…  At the end the children would yell, "I want to go there!"  Over and over and over it went through my mind.  I was thinking about heaven and what it will be like.  My mind turned to Revelation 21 that talks about heaven being a place of no more tears.  I understand there won't be tears because there won't be hurts and sorrow.  But I can't comprehend how I could possibly not have tears of joy there.  I guess when I think about it I won't have this body anyway.  Maybe my next body won't be so emotional!  The last few words of Revelation 21:1-4 are key.  "…the old order of things has passed away."  Woo hoo!

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Matthew Henry writes about this section of scripture:
The presence of God with his people in heaven, will not be interrupt as it is on earth, he will dwell with them continually. All effects of former trouble shall be done away. They have often been in tears, by reason of sin, of affliction, of the calamities of the church; but no signs, no remembrance of former sorrows shall remain. Christ makes all things new. If we are willing and desirous that the gracious Redeemer should make all things new in order hearts and nature, he will make all things new in respect of our situation, till he has brought us to enjoy complete happiness. See the certainty of the promise. 

It is a promise from the Lord that we have in eternity with Him.  This morning Doc said we must remember our ABC's.  
Accept
Believe
Confess
If we want to spend eternity with Him, we must not only remember our ABC's but we must live them.  If the desire of our heart is to give Him the desire of His heart, we must live in His presence while on this earth so that we can dwell with Him in the new earth.

Yesterday I started the day with Jeremy Camp's song, "There Will Be A Day" and as I drove home it came to me again…

There will be a day with no more tears
No more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place
Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your words and Your strength last night with this family.  I praise You for the way You encouraged me through them.  Lord, I also thank You for Doc's message on HOPE this morning.  Father, I pray for more people to find hope in You.  I pray for the five who prayed the sinners prayer this morning.  Lord, encourage them as they take the steps to live closer to You.  Protect them from any attacks from the enemy.  Lord, I pray for more of You and less of me so that I can be more effective for You.  Father, You are so awesome in the way You put opportunities before me.  You are also so awesome in the way You used the Teen Sunday School lesson on Job to bless me.  I love my teens and pray for them to draw closer to You too.  Lord, I'm going to be selfish in asking that relief will come with this pain and tingling.  I pray for a healing through the medication.  Thank You Jesus for being My Hope.  Amen.