The Last Survivals of Grief

Revelation vii. 17 v.

“The Lamb shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

What need that God should wipe away the tears when the Lamb has led to the living waters? Would not joy follow as a matter of course? If my hunger and thirst have been taken away, if my eyes have already rested on the sparkling fountains, surely God need not interpose to dry my tears; will not Nature do that? No. You do not bring back my first joy by restoring my first surroundings. Grief itself robs me of something; it breaks the elastic spring. The child cries after it has ceased to be hurt. The hurt has put it in the valley, and the painlessness cannot at once lift it to the mountain. Some one must put right the spring, must restore the capacity for joy. The fountains in vain will sparkle if the heart has lost its shining.

My God, set right the broken spring; all my springs are in Thee. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation. Thon hast brought me to Calvary; bring me to Olivet. Thou hast given me back my freedom, give me back my wings. The fountains are nothing without the sense of morning; send me Thy bright and morning star. Forbid the clouds to return to me after the rain is gone. Give me once more not only the old trees of the garden, but the old birds that sang in them. Plant my Eden again in the East — the place of the rising sun. Take away the weariness, the jadedness, the fadedness, that follows the hour of struggle. Heal the shrinking of the sinew that succeeds to the angel’s blessing. Remove the paralysis that lingers after the sorrow itself has fled. When I stand beside the fountains of living water, do Thou wipe away past tears from my eyes.