Pain Free

Revelation 21:4

There will be no more death’^[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

I have known people to be miraculously healed but I have never even heard of anyone being delivered from pain for the rest of their lives, and I suspect they would not want to be.  As we touched on yesterday, pain serves a purpose. Its is a warning, and in this fallen world,  a very useful one.

When I was at secondary (High) school there were some local shops near by. One of those was a tobacconist and another a chip shop. They did great business from the school kids,  I can tell you.

And round the corner from both of these was a second hand goods shop. It worked well for the boys (I went to a single sex school) because if you couldn't afford your cigarettes or your chips,  the second hand shop would buy more or less whatever you had to sell.

The man who owned the shop was in a wheelchair

He had no legs and half an arm on one side.  His existing hand was missing fingers.

If I am entirely honest, to my shame now, he kind of used to freak me out a bit.

It turned out that he had some condition that affected his nerves and as a result he had no feelings.

When my better informed friend told me this as an explanation I did not understand immediately how this would have bought about his limbless state.

Now in the case of this individual this may be apocryphal,  but my mate pointed out to me that if his limbs had had no feelings,  then he would have had no awareness of damage to them. He speculated that infection from such injuries had resulted in amputation.

Now whatever the truth in the case of this man it illustrates the usefulness of pain.

It is also interesting that the same mechanism that brings us painful sensation also brings us much pleasure.

Pain and pleasure are closely related.  Some might even say that they occupy opposite ends of the spectrum.

Whatever, pain serves a purpose.

Bur pain can be a pain in the butt too.

There are some messed up conditions where pain itself is the problem.

I have a few friends who suffer with fybromyalgia,  a condition which can bring extreme pain for prolonged periods for no apparent cause.

This terrible illness is an awful and unseen disability which ruins many lives.

This beautiful world is also a messed up place.  Things are not as they ought to be.

But at it's best pain is a useful diagnostic tool.

I wouldn't want to be relying on my sense of smell to tell me my hand was in direct contact with the hot plate. Would you?

And the same relates to emotional pain.

And there is a spiritual pain too.

If you are thirsty you know you need a drink.  You're discomfort leads to your comfort.  That is the way it works.

Spiritually we might find the analysis a bit harder,  because we are not as acutely aware of the signals.  But spiritual dis-ease should prompt investigation. And one might say of spiritual pain that the god of this world has numbed the pain of the unbelievers so they will not seek healing! 

But in heaven my friends who suffer with Fybromyalgia will finally be pain free.

You see the warning will no longer be necessary,  because in the kingdom,  all the things that can harm you will be conspicuous only by their total and utter absence.

And when I look at the prince of glory,  when I survey his wonderful cross, I see that his pain served as a warning to the whole world of the ultimate result of sin.

He was made an example of, to be a warning for us.

And the final healing and pain free eternity that he secured for those who place their faith in him, was earned through his pain.

The physical pain of the whip, the crown of thorns,  the nails and the asphyxiation of the crucifixion.

The emotional pain of the humiliation of being rejected,  mocked and stripped naked,  literally the scourge of the earth.

The spiritual pain as he took on the sin of the world and the Godhead was ripped apart as he who knew know sin, became it. 

Yes his pain not only earned our healing (by his stripes we are healed) but it stood as a warning to the human race,  of the end destination of sin.

Shame, pain and rejection.

But for those who heed the warning, a glorious and pleasure filled pain free eternity in the presence of the one who loved us.

I for one cannot wait.  Those crippled with pain now,  skipping like children.
I long for the day,

This day,

And all days,

Amen.