"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Revelation 21:4
Think back to the last time someone wiped your tears. Not handed you a tissue across the table. Actually wiped them, with a gentle thumb, the way a mother does for a little girl who has skinned her knee.
Maybe it was your husband. Maybe it was so long ago you can't remember.
Most widows cry alone now.
In the car.
In the shower.
At the kitchen sink, where no one can see.
I wonder if you've forgotten that Someone has promised to wipe them for you.
Near the very end of the Bible, in Revelation 21, John is given a glimpse of the world God is making new. And right there, in the middle of all that glory, is one tender little detail.
God Himself wipes away the tears.
Not an angel.
Not a helper.
God.
The prophet Isaiah saw the same thing centuries earlier. In Isaiah 25:8 he wrote that "the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces."
The Greek word John used for "wipe away" is exaleipho. It means to wipe out completely, to erase. It's the same word Paul used in Colossians 2:14 for God canceling the record of debt that stood against us.
Think about what that means for you today.
The God who will one day wipe away every tear is the same God who already wiped out your debt at the cross. He finished that work. Jesus did it out of love, and nothing you do can add to it.
So when He promises to finish your tears, you can trust Him. He keeps His word.
That doesn't mean you have to stop crying now. Jesus Himself wept at His friend's grave. Your tears aren't a lack of faith. They are the very tears He has promised to wipe away Himself.
If you're not sure you know Him that way yet, the door is open. Here's what it means to know Jesus personally.
Try tonight
The next time tears come, don't hurry them away. Let them fall, and whisper, "Lord, this one is Yours too." That's all. Then let Him hold the rest.
If you've been wondering whether the pain of losing your husband will ever go away, I wrote an honest answer in A limp and a blessing: does the pain of losing a husband ever go away?
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.
Thomas Moore, 1816
You may still cry alone in the car for a while. But you won't cry alone forever. One day a gentle hand will reach for your face, and the last tear will be gone.
Blessings, Pastor Howard
Know a widow who needs this today?
Sometimes the kindest thing is a quiet "I thought of you."
Where do you usually cry when no one can see?
The car, the shower, the kitchen sink? You are not the only one. Tell me in the comments below. I read every comment, and your words might help another widow feel less alone.