April 22, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THERE IS JOY IN MOURNING
Good Wednesday morning to all! I was deeply impressed early this morning to share this message, in a time when numberless people are, and yet will be mourning because of the unfair way they have and will be losing loved ones and friends directly or indirectly caused by this lethal coronavirus pandemic.
In His sermon on the mount, Jesus pronounced this second blessing upon the multitudes, which included His disciples-in-training: “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matt. 5:4,KJV (See also Isa.61:1-3). Lest we miss the deeper, more meaningful and longer-lasting import of this message after the mourning for death dissipates in time, let’s hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches in the following:
“By these words Christ does not teach that mourning in itself has power to remove the guilt of sin. He gives no sanction to pretense or voluntary humility. The mourning of which He speaks does not consist in melancholy and lamentation. While we sorrow on account of sin, we are to rejoice in the precious privilege of being children of God.
“We often sorrow because our evil deeds bring unpleasant consequences to ourselves; but this is not true repentance. Real sorrow for sin is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals the ingratitude of the heart that has slighted and grieved the Savior, and brings us in contrition to the cross. By every sin Jesus is wounded afresh; and as we look upon Him [by faith, not in pictures or images] whom we have pierced. we mourn for the SINS that have brought anguish upon Him. Such mourning will lead to renunciation of sin.
“The worldling may pronounce this sorrow a weakness; but it is the STRENGTH which binds the penitent to the Infinite One with links that cannot be broken. It shows that the ANGELS of God are bringing back to the soul the graces that were lost through HARDNESS of heart and transgression.
“The tears of the penitent are only the raindrops that precede the sunshine of holiness.
“This sorrow heralds a JOY which will be a living fountain to the soul. ‘Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God;’ and ‘I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord.” Jer. 3:13,12. [Isa. 61:3 quoted].
“And for those who mourn in trial and sorrow there is comfort. The bitterness of grief and humiliation is better than the indulgences of sin. Through affliction God reveals to us the PLAGUE SPOTS of our characters, that by His grace we may overcome our faults. Unknown chapters in regard to ourselves are opened to us, and the TEST comes, whether we will accept the REPROOF and the COUNSEL of God.
“When brought into trial, we are not to fret and complain. We should not rebel, or WORRY ourselves OUT of the hand of Christ. We are to humble the soul [our whole person] before God. The ways of God are OBSCURE to him who desires to see things in a light pleasing to himself [not to God]. They appear dark and joyless to our human nature.
“But God’s ways are ways of mercy and the end is salvation. ELIJAH [only the 2nd man translated to heaven without tasting death] knew not what he was doing when in the desert he said that he had enough of life, and PRAYED that he might die. The Lord did not take him at his word [did not answer his prayer as he asked]. Why? ‘There was yet a GREAT WORK for Elijah to do; and WHEN his work was done, he was not to perish in discouragement and solitude in the wilderness. Not for him the descent into the dust of death, but the ascent in glory, with the convoy of celestial chariots [angels], to the throne on high.
“God’s Word for the sorrowing is, ‘I have seen his ways, and will HEAL him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.’ ‘I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice in their sorrow.’ Isa. 57:18; Jer. 31:13, KJV., Desire of Ages, pp. 300, 301.
I was personally blessed by the comforting, strengthening and enlightening joy I experienced early this morning as I read, contemplated and typed out this message for you. I hope and pray you will have the same blessing, and more! NMF