"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." -Matthew 5:4
Life provides ample opportunities to mourn. Families break apart, friends die, we lose jobs, those closest to us move away, people betray trust and others take advantage of us. Unfortunately modern perception is such that certain people don't cry (i.e. real men or big girls). The reality is we all can/should/need to cry at some point. Everyone is programmed with emotions. It is unhealthy, and unbiblical, to store up the feelings of sorrow and pain that come naturally with loss.
Jesus let the crowd on the Mount of Blessings know they are never alone in their despair. Christ offers a twin-tiered comfort.
1. Current comfort
2. Eternal comfort
Just before His betrayal Jesus promised the arrival of another Helper (or Comforter) to abide with us forever. The presence of the Spirit brings us comfort because He speaks the words of Jesus to us. He reminds us of the words Jesus spoke to us during His life on earth, including the promise of His return for us.
Christ's return and promised everlasting kingdom provides great comfort. Revelation 21:4 says the residents of the heavenly city will live in a place like we have never known. It says "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
The mourning Jesus alludes to in the Beatitudes goes deeper than the "physical" or "normal" mourning we think of with the grieving process. A "true heart sorrow for sin" is the mourning God wants from each of us. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p.9)
God will bring final, eternal comfort to those who mourn their own (and other's) sinfulness. Our contrite heart brings joy to the heart of God and He grants forgiveness and newness of life. He brings peace which passes all understanding to our lives. "Christ lifts up the contrite heart and refines the mourning soul until it becomes His abode." (ibid., p.11)
Our Savior does not intend for our hearts to be weighed down forever with sorrow and pain from this life. He wants us to lift up our face to the giver of all good and perfect gifts. Drink for the fountain of living water and eat of the bread of life.
"The blessed Savior stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him....He has loved us with an everlasting love and with loving-kindness compassed about us....He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace." (ibid., p.12)
Showing posts with label mourning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mourning. Show all posts
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
An Insatiable Yearning
"The yearning to know what cannot be known, to comprehend the incomprehensible, to touch and taste the unapproachable, arises from the image of God in the nature of man. Deep calleth unto deep, and though polluted and landlocked by the mighty disaster theologians call the Fall, the soul senses its origin and longs to return to its source." -A.W. Tozer
Some call it a God-shaped hole. Others feel the dull ache of loneliness in a crowded room. Many try to hide the emptiness with brazen attitudes, laughter, substance, stories of conquests or loud talk. Few allow the depths of their heart to answer the calling of the depth of God.
You are made in the image of God. The gnawing, aching, tearing apart inside is your very being begging to answer the call of God for you. (Romans 8:23) And the groaning will not go unanswered. God placed the beacon of hope in your heart so you would keep searching. And you will find Him because He loves you.
"You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13
Some call it a God-shaped hole. Others feel the dull ache of loneliness in a crowded room. Many try to hide the emptiness with brazen attitudes, laughter, substance, stories of conquests or loud talk. Few allow the depths of their heart to answer the calling of the depth of God.
You are made in the image of God. The gnawing, aching, tearing apart inside is your very being begging to answer the call of God for you. (Romans 8:23) And the groaning will not go unanswered. God placed the beacon of hope in your heart so you would keep searching. And you will find Him because He loves you.
"You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13
Friday, January 6, 2012
Death to Death
This year starts out with funerals. A close friend of our family buried his dad this week after he died on Christmas. A church member buries her daughter-in-law today after six months-to-live turned out to be ten days. Tomorrow another close family friend buries his brother. Death is never fun and almost certainly inconvenient to all the parties effected.
I have had the unfortunate responsibility of presiding over several funerals in my short pastoral tenure. Only one for someone I knew personally. Funerals are my least favorite pastoral duty to perform. I'm always honored to be asked to perform the funeral, but I definitely do not want to become the funeral expert.
Hearing other pastors give eulogies intrigues me. Most of the sermons I've heard have been from those who believe in the instant transfer from the grave to heaven. I often wonder where they read in Scripture that as pastors we are granted the authority to declare a person's eternal destination. I haven't found it yet. I do find plenty of evidence of death as a sleep which will only be disturbed when the trumpets of heaven and voice of Christ Himself serves as the ultimate alarm clock. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) I do find hope in the soon return of Christ. I do find solace in the judgment of God alone and, despite my observations and judgments of person's character and supposed relationship (or lack of one) with Christ, God will decide eternity for the deceased.
God does not wish that any should perish: now or eternally. He looks forward to His coming with the same, if not greater, anticipation than ours. It will be a day of great rejoicing and reunion. It will signal the death of death. Jesus holds the key to Hades and He can't wait to share it with His beloved.
I have had the unfortunate responsibility of presiding over several funerals in my short pastoral tenure. Only one for someone I knew personally. Funerals are my least favorite pastoral duty to perform. I'm always honored to be asked to perform the funeral, but I definitely do not want to become the funeral expert.
Hearing other pastors give eulogies intrigues me. Most of the sermons I've heard have been from those who believe in the instant transfer from the grave to heaven. I often wonder where they read in Scripture that as pastors we are granted the authority to declare a person's eternal destination. I haven't found it yet. I do find plenty of evidence of death as a sleep which will only be disturbed when the trumpets of heaven and voice of Christ Himself serves as the ultimate alarm clock. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) I do find hope in the soon return of Christ. I do find solace in the judgment of God alone and, despite my observations and judgments of person's character and supposed relationship (or lack of one) with Christ, God will decide eternity for the deceased.
God does not wish that any should perish: now or eternally. He looks forward to His coming with the same, if not greater, anticipation than ours. It will be a day of great rejoicing and reunion. It will signal the death of death. Jesus holds the key to Hades and He can't wait to share it with His beloved.
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