When Life Is Hard...

Lately I've been around quite a few folks that are going through some difficult times. The loss of a loved one; the scary results of a medical test; an upcoming surgery; broken homes and relationships; questions about job security; court dates; the list seems endless.

At a funeral this week (one of those incredibly tragic things on the list), I heard two songs by the Christian group Mercy Me. Both songs, I thought, were inspiring and made me think. Sometimes, when things get incredibly hard, we need to focus our eyes on heaven. The first of these songs, "I Can Only Imagine," helped me do that. It was a wonderful reminder that as hard as life may get here, there will come a day "with no more pain and no more tears." The apostle John saw what that day looked like as he wrote in Revelation 21:3-4. "God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things is passed away." A day is coming when all sadness, sorrow, pain and death are no more. Can you imagine...

** no more car accidents
** no more reports of cancer
** no more fatal shootings
** no more wheelchairs or walkers
** no more pill bottles
** no more Alzheimer's units
** no more divorce
** no more financial uncertainty
** no more layoffs and closings

These things will be gone in the new order. That leads to the second song I heard, "Homesick." It speaks of an intense longing to go home to be with the Lord and loved ones. I think this captures very well my feelings at times, and maybe your's, too. There are times when the events of this world and the awful things that occur make us want to get away from all the ugliness and sin. I'm not advocating rushing that "get away." God has a plan for each one of us here and has numbered our days. I do, though, get the longing of the disciples and of countless numbers of Christians over the ages who have longed for His coming. I join them in saying, "Maranatha." "Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus."

I hope when life is hard for you that you'll look to the Lord and to heaven. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day...