Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Revelation 21:1

In this vision at the end of the Book of Revelations, John is describing in terms he understood in what he saw. In this case, it was what he didn’t see: the sea. A little later in the chapter we get a glimpse at what this could be referring to “no more crying or tears or sorrow or pain.”

If you want to see the sorrow of the nations, you don’t need to look far. It’s all around us in North America, Asia, South America, Europe, Australia, and prominently so in Africa. We even say that “life is cheap” in many nations throughout the world. Death and sorrow and crying and tears surround us or could surround us if we let it.

So, in the final days of this decade, I’ve got a challenge for the readers of this devotional. Think of it as an early resolution, one that will be life changing.

Get involved with one ministry that seeks to meet the needs of those nations that are experiencing the seas of sorrow or mourning. Perhaps many of you already are, which is fantastic. Don’t just give of your riches; give of your time and resources. Get involved at a personal level. Get to know staffers; get to know their hurts as well.

You and I will be changed by it. Guaranteed!