Tears

Revelation 21:4

“...and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

How could I be thankful for tears?  We cry when we experience intense joy, sorrow, or pain.  I must mean tears of joy.  While those are included, I am thankful for tears of sorrow as well.  For one thing, they are a kind of pressure release valve.  That release helps a little.

What I am most thankful for, though, is the fact that I can look forward to a time when there won’t be any more mourning, crying, or pain.  When I’m sad, hurting, or have let the chains of sin weigh me down, I can look forward and know that this, too shall pass.  When this earth has passed away, I will be able to appreciate what Christ has done for me all the more, because I know what it was like in a sinful world.  I know a taste of what Christ saved me from, and that will make eternal life with Him all the sweeter.

In a way, it makes life sweeter now.  That is what it is to be joyful in the Lord.  Even when we are mourning, we can have His joy.