And GOD will wipe tears from every face. — Isaiah 25:8
When do our sorrows end? They end when we come into the presence of God.
I’m not a TV watcher, but I do enjoy one show: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. On this program, a family with a need allows a team of designers and contractors to remodel their home while the family goes on an all-expense-paid vacation. Here’s the deal — you hand over the keys to the house and seven days and $500,000 later, the team hands you back a totally different house.
One week the show was about a single mom with two twelve year old boys. She borrowed money to remodel her tiny home in New York City. The contractor took the money, tore her home apart and vanished. She was left with an uninhabitable house and a huge loan to repay. About a hundred people converged on this small house to give her home a dream makeover ten times better than anything she ever could have afforded. The contractor’s heart was touched by this family’s plight and he chipped in to pay for full college scholarships for both the boys.
When she discovered what was going to be done for her, she fell on her knees and gave thanks to God.
I like this show not because I think you need to have a beautiful house to be happy. I like it because it so much reflects the heart of God. He finds us in a desperate, hopeless condition. He custom designs a beautiful eternal home for us far better than anything we could ask or imagine. Not satisfied with that, He lavishes more gifts on us to show us the magnitude of His loving heart.
We come to God. We open the door of our life to Him. Inside we see where evil has torn everything to pieces. All that we paid is used up and nothing is left to show for it but damage and destruction. But Jesus comes in. We give Him our losses and He gives back far more than we ever hoped we could regain. He studies us and figures out what will take away every tear and fill our hearts with joy.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.