“For All” – Day Nineteen

17 Sep “For All” – Day Nineteen

Scripture: Revelation 7:17 NLT – “For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Observation: The writer of Revelation, believed to be John the Apostle, is telling us that one day, the day Jesus our Shepherd comes and leads us into eternity, there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more despair. The streams that he leads us to will be life-giving, forever. There, with him, there will be an endless source of comfort and happiness. 

Application: I remember it so vividly, as I am pretty sure most parents of tiny humans do: my toddler’s first big fall. It was the kind of head-first fall where there were no tears at first. The kind of shock and pain that before tears emerged, there was breath-holding, and despite my desperate attempts to get him to breathe, he passed out. Limp in my arms. After the longest 5 seconds of my life, he came to, and with that came the eruption. The biggest tears I had ever seen came rolling down his cheeks (and also mine). 

At that moment, as Sterling’s mama, it was my responsibility, and my joy, to comfort him. To wipe those crocodile tears from his cheeks, and remind him that everything was going to be okay. That the pain he was experiencing would only be temporary, and the whole ordeal would soon be a distant memory… and maybe next time, he would think twice about jumping back and forth from one end of the couch to the other? (*a boy mom can hope)

In the way that our finite human brains can comprehend, I am pretty sure this is just a glimpse into what John meant when he revealed to us that one day, our sorrow will be no more. That the God of all comfort, our Shepherd, will lead us to a place where tears are wiped from our eyes permanently, and we will long forget the pain of our temporal earthly home. In the meantime, let’s not forget that this earthly life is temporary for those of us who have put our faith and hope in Jesus. That we are not promised less tears this side of Heaven (otherwise there would be no need for our Father to wipe them away), but we are promised a King who will redeem them once and for all upon his return—a Father who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6) 

Yet in the meantime, while we are still earthbound, what do we do when we face hardship in this life? We immerse ourselves in his Word and bring all of our cares to him, it’s what we (at The Journey) call our slot and spot. We get around other people who will encourage us in our faith when things get discouraging, and remind us that our tears and pain are only temporary. We remember that there is a King on the Throne, and that his Kingdom isn’t somewhere off in the distant future, but it’s here and now (notice that our verse says “the Lamb on the Throne”, there is no future tense, it’s very much present). We have a Father who loves us, and because of that love, we can rest in his presence and hope for our tomorrows. 

Prayer: Father, thank you for the hope we have in an eternity with you. Thank you, that because of your son Jesus’ sacrifice, we don’t have to worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow is in your hands. Thank you for your promises. Remind me that you have yet to break a single one, and because of that, I know that you will always be with me, and that one day the pain I may experience here on this earth will be all but a distant memory when I encounter your life-giving waters. Amen. 

Lindsey Daly

Hockessin Journey Worship Director 

Lindsey has been attending The Journey for almost seven years now, actively serving on the J-Team as a worship leader for almost four, and a staff member for a little over three. The Journey has grown her relationship with God in immeasurable ways, and serving has deepened her love for God’s people and the purpose he has for her life. She loves iced coffee, road trips, and hanging out with her husband & son while drinking an iced coffee on a road trip. 

Going Deeper:

• Read Deuteronomy 31:1-8
• How do the words we read in this scripture encourage us in the same way that Revelation 7:17 does?
• Write out your own prayer to God. Thank him for his goodness and his presence in your life. Tell him all of your worries and cares. Ask him to remind you of who he is when you face hardships in this life. Ask him to either bring people into your life, or continue to surround you with people going in the same direction, who will remind you of his love and faithfulness towards you.