“God will wipe every tear; there shall be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain." ~ Revelation 21:3-4
Darius was headed for work when
flashing red lights at the railroad crossing stopped him. He’d left plenty early, so the delay didn’t
bother him. As he waited in the silence
of his Audi, his thoughts began drifting as if on feathered wings.
The crossing brought back memories of his friend Jamal who’d
been killed here years before. Surprised
at realizing how many birthdays had passed since that tragic accident, an
emptiness filled his heart again.
Darius closed his eyes, letting the void fill with flashbacks.
He heard Jamal’s good-natured teasing as
if just feet away. He recalled his
laugh, his wit, his charisma. He’d not
had another friend like Jamal since; their friendship was as unique as the two
of them.
He shifted in his seat, strangely ashamed at having dismissed
or forgotten Jamal’s presence in his consciousness over the years. He’d grieved through enough pain; shed more
than enough tears.
Not knowing the answer plagued Darius to this day. He flipped on the radio to calm himself. His answer came immediately as the opening
words to one of Eric Clapton’s most memorable songs greeted him.
“Tears in Heaven” is based on the tragic death of his
4-year-old son Conor, who died after accidentally falling from a 54-story
apartment window. The track was written
during the blues guitarist, songwriter and singer’s hiatus from music after
that devastating event.
There’s a powerful verse in Clapton’s grief: “Beyond the
door, there's peace, I'm sure. And I
know there'll be no more tears in heaven.”
It was a song of belief; a song of optimism - of reunion.
“God speaks to us in many ways,”
Darius thought. “That’s why periods of
solitude are so vital, otherwise we might miss it!”
Through Divine intervention,
Darius knew his friend’s fate.
Life’s pain, grief, and heartache can seem overwhelming at
times. But they’re temporary, and one
day they will be no more for the Redeemed ones (Revelation
21:3-4).
No one can possibly calculate
the buckets of tears shed every moment in this hurting world. He allows sorrow to be woven into our mortal
experience. But in Heaven, He who
forgives our sins also wipes away all tears.
Ours is a God of tears. And the reason why he wipes away our tears is partly
because He knows firsthand all about suffering.
