Back in the summer, I heard about a little baby who died after accidentally being left in a sweltering car for three hours. That poor child. And that poor family. I can’t even fathom how overwhelming their grief is, how much guilt they feel, how many tears they’re shedding.
It’s a reminder—if we needed one—of how many struggles there are in the world. How many people are suffering? How many tears they’re crying.
When’s the last time you wept?
It’s interesting that near the beginning of his famous sermon Jesus spoke about what he would do about the world’s suffering.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4).
He came to set everything right again, and here he’s probably addressing both spiritual and social concerns . . . grief caused by social evil as well as personal sin (Craig Blomberg, Matthew, p. 99). In other words, he’s referring to our mourning when bad things happen, but also our grieving over the pain that our sins cause.
I can still hear the hopeful lyrics to a song we sang in a little country church in east Alabama when I was a kid.
No tears in heaven, no sorrows given.
All will be glory in that land;
There’ll be no sadness,
all will be gladness,
When we shall join that happy band.
- No tears because of innocent babies who die oh-so-prematurely.
- No tears because of a husband/daddy who walks out on his family.
- No tears because of a teenager who rebels against her upbringing.
Some morning yonder,
we’ll cease to ponder,
O’er things this life has brought to view;
All will be clearer,
loved ones be dearer,
In heav’n where all will be made new.
No tears because of the sins we commit, which are the same ones we committed last month, and the month before that, . . . .
No tears because of the pain our bad choices bring to us and the people we love.
No tears because of our disappointing the One who died to free us. Again.
And then the chorus.
No tears (in heaven fair),
No tears, no tears up there,
Sorrow and pain will all have flown;
No tears (in heaven fair).
No tears, no tears up there;
No tears in heaven will be known.
Blessed are the crying ones, because they’ll receive his comfort. He’ll release us from this sin-sick, grief-stricken world and lovingly wipe away every year with his once-pierced hand.
No tears, no tears up there; No tears in heaven will be known.
Won’t that be amazing?
—Chuck
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