Glad Mourning
"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4 NIV
When Jesus spoke these words to the people who had climbed the mountain to hear Him teach, I think He looked out over the crowd and saw people with different faces, backgrounds, needs, experiences, thoughts and hurts. I think He wanted to touch each one to express Father's love in a personal and real way. He looked into their hearts and spoke truth to bring them joy just as He does to us today - He longs to impart blessing. His earthly life was lived and sacrificed to impart the eternal blessing of redemption. These precious people sitting on the mountainside were already blessed - greatly blessed - because they were the people chosen by God as His own and because they were in the very presence of 'God With Us'. But I wonder if they fully appreciated the extent and depth of either of those blessings. Do any of us ever fully appreciate the blessing of God's choosing us or His presence with us? I think Jesus was laying out some additional blessings for all of us to ponder - so we could know Him more and understand what an amazing blessing we have in Him. Even in mourning.
So what is mourning? About 10 days ago my mom's best friend from her youth passed away. It hurt my mom's heart. And yesterday I watched a dear friend cry as she learned that a beautiful elderly lady who had mentored her was in the final days of life. It hurt her heart. My mom and my friend were mourning because they were losing someone they loved deeply. We mourn when we lose what we hold dear - whether a person, a pet, a job, a home, a valued possession, a challenge, an opportunity, our health, our self-esteem, our reputation, our youth. How can there be blessing in mourning? Jesus said we are blessed when we mourn because then we will be comforted.
So how do we get comforted? By mourning. By losing what we hold dear. By letting go, giving up, turning away from anything we hold nearer and dearer than Him. This includes relationships, dreams, possessions, plans, desires, reputations, careers, rights, health, expectations, grudges - even our own lives. A difficult situation in my life might make me run into His arms and cry out for Him, but if I'm sitting there still holding on to all my stuff, then how can I throw my arms around His neck and look into His eyes and see His great mercy and love? And if I am whining and complaining about my hurts then how will I be able to hear His sweet words of grace and encouragement as He whispers them into my ear? How can I be comforted if I am not fully present with Him, exalting Him above everything else as the only one who can truly comfort my mourning soul?
In Psalm 30 David says: "Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning...You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." And in Jeremiah 31 God says He will turn mourning into gladness and that comfort and joy will be exchanged for sorrow. I want all of that. I want God's favor. I want to rejoice in Him. I want to dance and not wail! I want to be dressed in joy and not sackcloth! I want my heart to sing to Him! I want His gladness and comfort and joy!
So what will I do? I will let go of everything I hold dear except for Him. And letting go will make me sad and I will weep and wail the loss. I will mourn. And then He will comfort me. And I will find favor, joy, dancing, and singing! Oh, Father, I will gladly mourn if it brings the blessing of Your arms wrapped around me in sweet comfort!!! Oh, bring the glad mourning!
Amy
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14
When Jesus spoke these words to the people who had climbed the mountain to hear Him teach, I think He looked out over the crowd and saw people with different faces, backgrounds, needs, experiences, thoughts and hurts. I think He wanted to touch each one to express Father's love in a personal and real way. He looked into their hearts and spoke truth to bring them joy just as He does to us today - He longs to impart blessing. His earthly life was lived and sacrificed to impart the eternal blessing of redemption. These precious people sitting on the mountainside were already blessed - greatly blessed - because they were the people chosen by God as His own and because they were in the very presence of 'God With Us'. But I wonder if they fully appreciated the extent and depth of either of those blessings. Do any of us ever fully appreciate the blessing of God's choosing us or His presence with us? I think Jesus was laying out some additional blessings for all of us to ponder - so we could know Him more and understand what an amazing blessing we have in Him. Even in mourning.
So what is mourning? About 10 days ago my mom's best friend from her youth passed away. It hurt my mom's heart. And yesterday I watched a dear friend cry as she learned that a beautiful elderly lady who had mentored her was in the final days of life. It hurt her heart. My mom and my friend were mourning because they were losing someone they loved deeply. We mourn when we lose what we hold dear - whether a person, a pet, a job, a home, a valued possession, a challenge, an opportunity, our health, our self-esteem, our reputation, our youth. How can there be blessing in mourning? Jesus said we are blessed when we mourn because then we will be comforted.
So how do we get comforted? By mourning. By losing what we hold dear. By letting go, giving up, turning away from anything we hold nearer and dearer than Him. This includes relationships, dreams, possessions, plans, desires, reputations, careers, rights, health, expectations, grudges - even our own lives. A difficult situation in my life might make me run into His arms and cry out for Him, but if I'm sitting there still holding on to all my stuff, then how can I throw my arms around His neck and look into His eyes and see His great mercy and love? And if I am whining and complaining about my hurts then how will I be able to hear His sweet words of grace and encouragement as He whispers them into my ear? How can I be comforted if I am not fully present with Him, exalting Him above everything else as the only one who can truly comfort my mourning soul?
In Psalm 30 David says: "Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning...You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." And in Jeremiah 31 God says He will turn mourning into gladness and that comfort and joy will be exchanged for sorrow. I want all of that. I want God's favor. I want to rejoice in Him. I want to dance and not wail! I want to be dressed in joy and not sackcloth! I want my heart to sing to Him! I want His gladness and comfort and joy!
So what will I do? I will let go of everything I hold dear except for Him. And letting go will make me sad and I will weep and wail the loss. I will mourn. And then He will comfort me. And I will find favor, joy, dancing, and singing! Oh, Father, I will gladly mourn if it brings the blessing of Your arms wrapped around me in sweet comfort!!! Oh, bring the glad mourning!
Amy
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14
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