February 29

The Banishment Of Pain

God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. — Rev 21:4

There are few lives in the world that escape pain. Beneath the outer surface of our physical frame there is a network of nerves, every fibre of which may become the source of suffering. We hardly realise that health is due to the combined action of thousands of delicate fibres, each moving in perfect accord with all the rest; but if one of these minute chords is jarred or out of tune, there ensues the discord of pain.

Our minds and hearts are as susceptible to suffering as our bodies. Probably there is more suffering generated in the world through the derangement of the soul than of the body. A wounded spirit, who can bear? The sensitive network of our affections, of our hopes and fears, of our attitude toward God or our fellow-men, and our self-consciousness, are capable of inflicting suffering, so acute and imperious, as to be an agony which can make us almost oblivious to physical pain.

Pain has a purpose. It is a danger-signal, which compels us to refrain from the things which have caused it, or to have recourse to the physician for alleviation. In the moral world, God has made the way of transgressors hard, and sown their paths with thorns, so as to dissuade and turn evildoers from their wicked ways. In the spiritual world, the sharp sting of remorse, the scourge of conscience, the agony of conviction, when, like Peter, we have denied our Lord, are of inestimable value in reminding us that we have run off the line and are tearing up the track.

Our Lord Jesus suffered Pain. He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. He was moved with compassion as He beheld sorrow and suffer-hag, and was constantly relieving pain and healing disease. In this He gave an evident sign that one day He would abolish it.

Why did the Seer at Patinas affirm that Pain should be no more? Because Pain arises from dislocation, and in that fair world, every limb and joint will work without fret or friction. Because Pain is the result of sin, and sin shall be no more. Because Pain was induced by the fruit of the knowledge of evil, and we shall eat of the tree of life, whose leaves shall be for the healing of the nations. Then there will be Songs instead of Sighs, and Anthems instead of Heartbreak.

Prayer

Grant, O Lord, that we, and all whom we love, and all weary and tired souls, may rest in peace, and may finally enter into the city where there shall be no more sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, nor sin, for the former things shall have passed away. Amen.