We have now entered the season of Lent. For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words. ✞ ♥
During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes. Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.” To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’ Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are! Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥
Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us. We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection! ✞ ♥
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:4
To mourn is—
1. to grieve over our own weakness in relation to God’s standard of righteousness and His kingdom power.
2. It is also to mourn over the things that grieve God, to have our feelings in sympathy with the feelings of God, and to be afflicted in our spirits over the sin (Acts 20:19).
So those who mourn are comforted by receiving from the Father “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Paul told the Christians in Rome, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Disciples face sadness for many reasons. Discipleship is not about always being happy. It’s about following the path of Jesus who was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). He surrendered His rights to bless others. He surrendered His life to forgive the very ones crucifying Him. He saw through the facades of His culture and felt the real needs of people whether they were ill, possessed, or simply blind to the truth.
To be a Christian—a disciple of Jesus—means to care about people, their problems, and to “weep with those who weep.” But such mourning means comfort. Our sufferings, hardships, and struggles will melt away in the eternal light of God’s Presence and His grace. Our heartbreak for those broken in our world will be replaced with rejoicing when many we have loved join us at God’s side eternally. Those who mourn—who are deeply sad—they will be comforted!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is full of mercy.
He is the God of all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble,
so that we can comfort other people any time they have trouble.
We can comfort them with the same comfort that God gives us.
We share in the many sufferings of Christ.
In the same way, much comfort comes to us through Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
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God of comfort, we thank You for You comfort us when grieved and when mourning. With the same comfort we get from You, let us reach out to Your people we are living with on earth; may they find comfort through us. We pray that with Christ in us all will be well! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
