Holy Comfort

I have never been one to work at figuring out heaven.   On the other hand some folks spend a lot of time measuring the stones in the streets, determining the brilliance of the pearly gates, and descibing the homecoming to be anticiapted by all who arrive.  I suppose a lot of what they figure comes out of the last book of the Bible which speak about the holy city and the river which flows from the throne of God.  I have read and I rejoice in what it says, but it has always seemed that what is described with the words of John is nothing compared to the actual reality of the Home being prepared for each one of us.    

There are some things I would like for heaven to include, but somehow I have a feeling that being midst the eternal glory of God will cause those earthly desires to disappear into the realm of the not so important.  When I start pondering heaven and the life beyond this one, I end up with those words from the last chapter which speak the words, "...and God Himself will be with them; He will wipe every tear from their eyes, Death will be no more; mourning and cryiing and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away."  (Revelation 21:3-4)   It has always been enough.  

I have read those words many times over the decades of ministry and I never tire of hearing these words of holy comfort.  Neither do I grow weary of reading them.  In these recent days of heartache and loss and deep grief, I have been comforted by the words of friends, but I have also found that when the comforting words of friends are no more, the powerful words of the Scipture are still filling the air and soothing the hurting places of my heart.  The passage from Revelation is one of those words.  And alongside of it is that word from the empty tomb, "He is not here, He is risen!"  (Luke 24:5)  Hallelujah!