I wonder if the body of Christ needs rest like our physical bodies? I wonder what that "rest" looks like.
Sigh. It can be a real pain to sit at a desk for so long for so many days in a row. It's hard to know how close to the finish I am, as there are so many parts that need to be completed to get there. Here on Thursday morning I've got just a little over a day to finish this issue. I just might do it.
Revelation 7 describes an interesting event in Heaven:
"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
'Salvation belongs to our God,
Who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.'"
Later on an elder explains to John who he's looking at in the white robes, telling him that they are the ones that came out of the great tribulation, having washed their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.
"For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
People often cite this passage as a conclusion that there will be no more crying in Heaven. I'm not so sure about that conclusion. I do think that the reasons for sorrow will be lifted, but the tears that come with great joy? Why would those be done away with? I think God has given us the ability to cry because He can minister to us so great at times like that. The kind of comfort that helps during sorrow will be in abundance, I'm sure. But maybe tears of joy will flow like rivers from those who are prone to that kind of spontaneous reaction. All I know is that there will be lots of joy there. For one thing, seeing people from every culture, every nation, every people group will be reason enough to be filled with joy.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at March 30, 2006 09:05 AM