Devastated

"Who are these?" Revelation 7:13.

Who's asking? One of the 24 crowned elders who fell on their faces before the throne to worship God. Who's he asking about? Ah. Well. There's this vast, numberless crowd, millions and millions of people from every nation, tribe, peoples, languages, all standing there at the throne and in front of the Lamb. So, yeah! Who are all these people? They are: All the ones coming out of the great tribulation. (What tribulation? Don't let anybody's best sellers fool you in this - it's the great tribulation of having followed Jesus in the now time - just ask anyone belittled for believing in, or, riddled with cancer pressing on to death in the faith of, or, devastated by bad fates continued to trust in, or, perhaps, lately beheaded for, Jesus.) What sets these people apart? They washed their robes. Bleached them white in the scarlet blood of the Lamb. And that's why they're there at the throne sheltered forever by God. The Lamb, their Shepherd, leads them to springs of living water.

As we meet with a brother or sister today at a grave, we remember the empty one. And, together, through tears, we wait for the Living One who promised shelter, and bowed, we give thanks.