~ Revelation 21:4
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At the end of Scripture, John is given a vision of the ultimate hope for every believer: the New Heaven and the New Earth. This verse stands like a beacon, reminding us that suffering and sickness are temporary, but God’s promise of restoration is eternal.
Notice the tenderness of the promise: “He will wipe away every tear.” God doesn’t just remove sorrow in an abstract sense—He personally comforts His children. Every tear shed from pain, sickness, grief, or loss will be acknowledged and wiped away by the hand of our Father.
Then John adds: “death shall be no more.” Death—the last enemy—will be defeated once and for all. What Adam and Eve experienced in Eden, and what Christ restored through the cross and resurrection, will be fully realized: life without end, unmarred by sin, disease, or decay.
And not just death—“neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.” The word for pain (Greek: ponos) refers to toil, distress, physical suffering. All the aches of the body, the weariness of disease, the sting of loss—gone forever.
From a biblical health perspective, this verse is both realistic and hopeful. Realistic, because it acknowledges that pain is part of the “former things”—the world as we know it now. Sickness exists because we live in a fallen creation, marred by sin and under the influence of the enemy. Hopeful, because it assures us that pain and sickness are not eternal. They have an expiration date.
This truth reshapes how we endure suffering now. We care for our health as good stewards, we seek healing through prayer and wise choices, and we trust God’s power to restore. But when sickness lingers or trials weigh heavy, we hold fast to this: pain is temporary, but glory is forever.
Every doctor’s appointment, every sleepless night, every tear shed in weakness—all of it is temporary. One day, the Great Physician will bring complete and permanent healing. Our bodies will be resurrected, perfected, and never again touched by disease.
Until then, we live with hope. We endure with faith. And we fix our eyes not on the pain of today but on the promise of tomorrow: no more death, no more pain, no more tears—only life in the presence of Christ forever.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for this promise of eternal health and wholeness. When I face sickness or sorrow, remind me that these things are temporary, and that one day You will wipe away every tear. Help me to live with hope, trusting that perfect healing awaits me in Your presence. Amen.
