RPG Adults
TRUE HAPPINESS IN CHRIST: MOURN AFTER A GODLY MANNER
THURSDAY, JULY 6
2 Corinthians 7:5-11
Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are they that mourn:
for they shall be comforted.”
TRUE HAPPINESS IN CHRIST:
MOURN AFTER A GODLY MANNER
The second blessing is for those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. While people seek happiness, Jesus’ blessing is for those who mourn. What does it mean to mourn? The verb “mourn” here means “be sad, lament, grieve.” It is not enough to realise that we are sinners and spiritually poor. Many realise this, but they just ignore it. They are not sad or sorrowful. Neither are they willing to deal with it. Others are so sorrowful or sad about their sins or their great mistakes that they want to end their lives like Judas Iscariot, who hanged himself for betraying the Lord. That is not godly but worldly sorrow, “for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation… but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Cor 7:10).
We shall be blessed when we are sad and sorrowful about our spiritual poverty, and then come to the Lord Jesus in repentance. This is godly sorrow that works out repentance to salvation. Peter, who denied the Lord three times, wept bitterly and repented and was forgiven. Godly sorrow always leads to repentance and salvation.
When we mourn over our spiritual poverty, over our sins against God, our disobedience, our unrighteousness, our lack of love, faith, holiness, and righteousness, we shall be comforted by the Lord and His Word and by what God has done for us in Christ. We shall be comforted for knowing that Jesus came into this world and died for our sins, and was risen for our justification and is praying for us now in heaven and will come back again for our full redemption. Having received the comfort and salvation from the Lord and His Word, we shall sympathise with those who mourn over their sins and spiritual poverty, pray for them and help them find comfort and salvation from the Lord and His Word, too.
THOUGHT: It is good to examine myself, mourn over my sins and repent.
PRAYER: Search me, O Father and let me see my spiritual poverty and help me mourn after a godly manner that leads to repentance.