No More Night

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away...and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:1,4

COVID-19 is a distant, almost unreal and harmless enemy--until it hits a relative or a close friend. You watch the news, you read the statistics, that thousands of people are dying around the world. Yet it's like watching a horror science fiction movie, hard to believe. However, when it affects someone you know personally it transforms into a deadly character and it shatters your world. The sad news that Martha passed away a few weeks ago shocked everyone who knew her.

Martha was a remarkable person, generous, hard-working, and always looked for ways to help others. She loved to cook and provided food in abundance not only for her family but for everyone in church. Her home was regularly filled with happy guests, including me, because of her delicious food and of the way she treated everyone with a special kindness, just like family. She provided employment for many people throughout the years and was praised and beloved by her clients for her excellent work. Along with her loving husband, she educated her children in God's ways. She was active in church as Sabbath School teacher, Sabbath School director, and treasurer. The shadow of death cut short her productive life.

I watched in grief as her relatives, dear people that treated me like family when I lived in San Diego, paid their respects. I felt their pain as they talked about their beautiful memories. Nevertheless, I was inspired by their firm belief in the promises of God.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first." 1 Thessalonians 4:16

These verses acquire a new meaning when you lose someone. "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away...and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:1,4

With the uncertainty of our time and the risk of the pandemic, I don't know if I will be writing a devotion or playing the piano tomorrow, but I believe in the promises of God, do you?

The timeless theme,
earth and heaven will pass away.
It's not a dream,
God will make all things new that day.
Gone is the curse
from which I stumbled and fell.
Evil is banished to eternal hell.

No more night. No more pain.
No more tears. Never crying again.
And praises to the great "I AM."
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.

See all around,
now the nations bow down to sing.
The only sound is the praises
to Christ, our King.
Slowly the names from the book are read.
I know the King, so there's no need to dread.

No more night. No more pain.
No more tears. Never crying again.
And praises to the great "I AM."
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.

See over there, there's a mansion,
oh, that's prepared just for me,
Where I will live with my savior eternally.

No more night. No more pain.
No more tears. Never crying again.
And praises to the great "I AM."
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.

All praises to the great "I AM."
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.

Words and Music by Walt Harrah