Lord, I’m so tired; soul-weary. The pain and the depression and the anxiety are almost too much to bear. How much longer, God? How much longer?!
“How weary we grow of our present bodies. That is why we look forward eagerly to the day when we shall have heavenly bodies that we shall put on like new clothes (II Corinthians 5:2).”
Holly died of cancer. My Uncles Bill and Kenny are fighting cancer. My mom and all her brothers and sisters—my precious uncles and aunts—struggle with chronic, despairing pain every day, Lord. So much disease, so much pain, so much death…
“And we are not afraid but are quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So our aim is to please him always in everything we do, whether we are here in this body or away from this body and with him in heaven (II Corinthians 5:8-9).”
Tears stain our pillows at night, Jesus. Our hearts are heavy with the burdens of this world. The physical and emotional agony smother us at times, Lord. Like we’re drowning…
“He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever (Revelation 21:4).”
Violence is everywhere, God. Fear spreads like a plague. It’s even hard to know who to trust when it seems the enemy may be hiding in our back yard.
“There shall be nothing in the city that is evil; for the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him (Revelation 22:3).”
Help us to follow you, Lord. Give us the strength to endure, so we can someday see that majestic forever-land: Heaven. Now the storm grows darker, grayer, yet we know our true home awaits us, just beyond those clouds.
“In a vision he took me to a towering mountain peak, and from there I watched that wondrous city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of the skies from God. It was filled with the glory of God and flashed and glowed like a precious gem, crystal clear like jasper. The city itself was pure, transparent gold like glass! The wall was made of jasper, and was built on twelve layers of foundation stones inlaid with gems. The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure, transparent gold, like glass. Its gates never close; they stay open all day long—and there is no night! (Revelation 21:10-11, 18, 21, 25).”
Dear Lord, fill me with the brightness of Your love today. Purge the darkness; eradicate the anger, the hatred. Pervade my entire being with Your light, so I may shine like stars at night. Give me the strength to do that which is right, both in Your eyes, and that of those who love me.
“For we must all stand before Christ to be judged and have our lives laid bare—before him. Each of us will receive whatever he deserves for the good or bad things he has done in his earthly body (II Corinthians 5:10).”
In Your name…
Amen
Broken People 