Sunday 22 April 2012

Blessed are the mourners




Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  – Matthew 5v4

This seems to be an impossible one. How can mourners be happy?

I think the answer can partly be found in the quote ‘There can be no comfort where there is no grief’

Most of the world runs around with apparently no regard to their soul. All that matters is living for the moment and getting the most out of life that they can. Because they never acknowledge that anything is wrong, they never take the time to sorrow and mourn over their sin. If they are not careful they will spin through life and never deal with God because it is just too uncomfortable.

However, those who take the time to stop and acknowledge their sin will surely mourn for who they are and what they have done. Their sin besets and bothers and eats at them. The guilt and its accompanying mourning has them at the point where they can find hope.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’ Indeed, where there is no mourning there will never be any comfort.

But those who do mourn for their sin can find hope. Mourning brings man to the point where he knows there is nothing he can do about it. He knows that all of his efforts fall short. And the mourning deepens.

Still, there is comfort for the mourner. There is an answer.

Jesus can to turn sorrow into joy. He came to dry the tears. He came to provide rest both now and in eternity.

Truly the mourners are blessed when they find their comfort in the gift of eternal life that Jesus provided on the cross. Accepting His forgiveness frees us from the heaviness and guilt and mourning that weighs us now.

Comfort is waiting for those who mourn. Blessed are those who accept it.

No comments: