Hopeful mourning

"Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted".

[Johnny Cash was known as the man in black. The wearing of black is commonly associated with mourning.]

Yesterday in church we heard a sermon on the Beatitudes, as found in the Gospel of Matthew. This section of Jesus' sermon on the mount has always been one of my favorites. Personally, one of the Beatitudes has taken on a different meaning lately. Usually, this one (quoted above) is associated with mourning for a lost loved one. However, our pastor expanded that teaching into something far more encompassing. As followers of Jesus, we have a perspective and love for those who don't know Christ; for we have a love for them based on what their potential could be, if they were saved. However, we mourn for the present state of this fallen world, and the fallen people in it. We mourn for the paradise lost in Eden, which is what we were made for.

The marvelous glory of all this though, is that while we yet mourn, we have a hope that the fallen, unredeemed don't (yet) have. We know that God is going to fix all of this one day. Therein lies the hope and comfort for the follower of Jesus Christ. Therefore we have hopeful mourning. Thanks be to God.