On Wednesdays a group of women meet down the hall from my office to study the Bible. Today the lesson was on perseverance in the midst of trials and suffering.

At the end of the study I heard them singing a familiar song, so I leaned out my office door to catch the chorus filling the hallway…

“One day all things will be made new

I’ll see the hope You called me to

And in Your kingdom paved with gold

I’ll praise Your faithfulness of old

I’ll praise Your faithfulness of old.”

What moved me so much wasn’t just their voices (which were beautiful), but the heart of faith that moved their voices. I’m not sure which ladies were in the study today, but as their pastor, I know the stories of many of the women who could be there.

Their stories are, like all of ours, filled with pain and hardship. There’s guilt over abortions, scars from sexual abuse, wounds from harsh words. Some of their bodies are weary from having children, others from disease or depression. Some of the ladies are still reeling from divorce, others from desperately wanting to be married.

And as they lifted their voices, I heard true words sung with hearts of hope. Hope in the God who will keep His promises. Hope in the God who will one day put an end to all the things that ravish our lives. Our God promises that He will do this…

“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from

all faces, and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for

the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have

waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him;

let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:8–9 (cf. Revelation 21:1-7)

One day we who have trusted in Christ will be in that place where scars will be salvaged and hearts will be healed and cries will be consoled. What a day that will be. To see how the Orchestrator of eternity has worked all things, wonderful and hurtful, into a marvelous tapestry of His glory (Rom. 8:18, 8:28; 2 Cor. 4:17; 1 Pet. 5:10) and forever praise Him for it.

Heavenly Father, usher the Day when we can cease singing by faith. Bring our hope to pass. But until then, help us to persevere and not give up. Use our many trials and tribulations to remind us that this world is not our home. Give us hearts that trust you and tongues that praise you. Come Lord Jesus!