Tear Wipers, July 8
Written by Justin Wood
“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” (Revelation 21:4 NIV).
Crying and cancer go together. How often have you cried in your life? I can remember a lot of tears around cancer events in my life. It seems tears often come when we try to balance what is inside of us with what is outside of us. My tears remind me that something is not right. To cry is to be human. Even Jesus cried (see John 11:35). Our tears often show us how frail we are.
Today’s passage is a very tender one. As we work through this verse, begin to imagine God as a "tear-wiper"—someone who is present enough to wipe away tears. Then, begin to imagine yourself as a "tear-wiper"—are you present and compassionate enough to wipe away someone else's tears?
First, notice that the Lord wipes away the tears. Usually, we wipe away our own tears—often because we cry alone. Have you ever had someone wipe away your tears for you? It is such a compassionate act of love. Try to imagine God Himself wiping away your tears. In heaven, we won’t have to wipe away our tears alone. God is going to wipe away those tears for us. I think I have always longed for this … somewhere deep inside of me, I have wanted someone to see my pain and wipe away my tears.
Second, please catch what the end of this verse says to us. We all know what death and mourning and crying and pain look like. We have seen cancer and wars and the evening news. One day, we will see the death of death … the death of mourning … the death of crying … the death of pain. Try to let that sink in.
Lastly, we must understand that the new heaven of today’s verse is not here yet. We can long for the time when we don't have tears, but today we will cry. So, let’s resolve in our hearts to cry well and to wipe tears well.
Pray: Jesus, thank You for tears. While I walk this earth, allow me to become like You, a person who is a compassionate crier and wiper of tears. Amen.
Your Turn: Mimic Jesus by crying well. Mimic Jesus by wiping away someone else’s tears.
Justin Wood, Childhood Cancer Survivor
Justin lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky with his wife and six homeschooled kids. Through his life, Justin has become a wonderful mix of entrepreneur, English teacher, and foreign missionary. He is a survivor of childhood cancer. Justin is very grateful for Cancer Companions and the opportunity to be a part of this devotional writing process.
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