Do not weep

 

I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. - Revelation 5:4

My throat tightens and my chest aches every time I read this passage. Because I have been there. That place with no hope. Where forgiveness and cleansing can not possibly be possible. When shame, guilt, and sin consumed me and felt there would never be enough forgiveness or healing… that I had gone too far. There was no amount of cleansing sufficient… so I wept and wept.

It is hard to imagine, now, not having the saving grace of Jesus; that certain hope. To have knowledge of what the Bible says about the wondrous beauty of heaven, and having no more pain, no more tears - just love for everything and everybody. Just happy, glowing delight praising in His presence with not a worry or care. 

To stand on the edge of all that, as John did in his Revelation writings, looking in, and to think that I couldn’t get to it - because I didn’t have what was needed. There was no one. No way…

Yes, this tears me up.

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”  - Revelation 5:5

This! This is the certain hope we have! The promise from God that there is rescue, there is sufficient cleansing. Complete forgiveness. Jesus made a way. Jesus victorious on our behalf! Hopelessness turned into certainty. What we couldn’t possibly do for ourselves - God did in love for each one of us. The joys of heaven are in our future. So do not weep. Just believe.