Kingdom's Keys Fellowship
Where God's Kingdom Meets Man's Heart.
Lent 8 Mourning to Morning, Faith
Lent 8 Mourning to Morning, Faith
Mt.5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
There are three kinds of mourning, grief, remorse, and suffering due to circumstance. The first is the natural grief occurring when someone close to us dies, is suffering physically or goes through hardships or broken relationships. The second is the guilt that stabs the heart, like regret, sorrow for thought and behavior. The third is unjust suffering, the innocent bystander who might be the victim of social, economic or psychological circumstance. All three are the ones for whom Jesus has compassion.
All three have a common tie, control. These are things over which we have no personal control. In all three Jesus promises comfort. But when each of us goes through these personally it is hard to get outside of one’s self to do anything about the suffering at hand. There is no comfort in suffering. It consumes the moment, our minds dashing around calculating alternatives, emotions rampant and the consequent frustration turns into depression claiming the day. It is facing the fact that there is no way we can control life’s uncontrollable realities. That is why the first Beatitude involves being blessed when we realize that we are spiritually impoverished, we lack spiritual sufficiency and the presence of God the Holy Spirit.
How can Jesus promise comfort in these deeply overwhelming pressures on the heart? The key of course in all human circumstance is the final step Jesus took for us to be the first step we apply in every situation, the Cross. The final reality for every human being is death that creeps into every aspect of life in this world. Bearing death on the Cross in our place was Jesus’ first step for our final encounter. What is the consolation, the comfort, the help Jesus gives in that final act? The reality of comfort comes through faith, faith seen in three ways.
First, it is His faith in His Father and His will. Something over which He had no control, unjust execution at the hands of sinfully driven mankind, He undertook to show the final destination for every person is in His Father’s hands.
Second, His faith in the Spirit of God to submit to circumstance even if it meant total rejection, apparent failure and ultimate loneliness. It is the Spirit that leads us as we go.
Third, faith in what the Word of God promised, that He would not be consigned to Hades, that He would rise again on the third day. It is in the reality of faith that Jesus rose from the dead and it is in the reality of that same faith we rise above present circumstance and our own final death. Faith is the defining reality that raises our humanity to its intended dignity. That is what Jesus demonstrated.
Jesus’ faith was in His Father, His Father’s will and His Father’s Word. Notice all three take us out or ourselves and into God. We leave the chaos of lonely anxiety and focus outside, upwards and give ourselves on the wings of faith to the One who really cares what happens to each of us. Whether it is death of someone close, personal guilt and frustration or being victimized unjustly, it is God in Jesus who demonstrated that faith is the first step outside of self. It is faith that brings the next steps of clarity and order out of chaos, spiritual stability in an unstable environment and a heart that feels in the midst of heartless self-indulgence.
If we see our mourning in the context of Him, His presence, His Word it is then His Spirit comes to rearrange the condition of our minds and hearts. Now that’s comfort. The Kingdom of God is within. He showed it. Stay tuned.
Mt.5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
There are three kinds of mourning, grief, remorse, and suffering due to circumstance. The first is the natural grief occurring when someone close to us dies, is suffering physically or goes through hardships or broken relationships. The second is the guilt that stabs the heart, like regret, sorrow for thought and behavior. The third is unjust suffering, the innocent bystander who might be the victim of social, economic or psychological circumstance. All three are the ones for whom Jesus has compassion.
All three have a common tie, control. These are things over which we have no personal control. In all three Jesus promises comfort. But when each of us goes through these personally it is hard to get outside of one’s self to do anything about the suffering at hand. There is no comfort in suffering. It consumes the moment, our minds dashing around calculating alternatives, emotions rampant and the consequent frustration turns into depression claiming the day. It is facing the fact that there is no way we can control life’s uncontrollable realities. That is why the first Beatitude involves being blessed when we realize that we are spiritually impoverished, we lack spiritual sufficiency and the presence of God the Holy Spirit.
How can Jesus promise comfort in these deeply overwhelming pressures on the heart? The key of course in all human circumstance is the final step Jesus took for us to be the first step we apply in every situation, the Cross. The final reality for every human being is death that creeps into every aspect of life in this world. Bearing death on the Cross in our place was Jesus’ first step for our final encounter. What is the consolation, the comfort, the help Jesus gives in that final act? The reality of comfort comes through faith, faith seen in three ways.
First, it is His faith in His Father and His will. Something over which He had no control, unjust execution at the hands of sinfully driven mankind, He undertook to show the final destination for every person is in His Father’s hands.
Second, His faith in the Spirit of God to submit to circumstance even if it meant total rejection, apparent failure and ultimate loneliness. It is the Spirit that leads us as we go.
Third, faith in what the Word of God promised, that He would not be consigned to Hades, that He would rise again on the third day. It is in the reality of faith that Jesus rose from the dead and it is in the reality of that same faith we rise above present circumstance and our own final death. Faith is the defining reality that raises our humanity to its intended dignity. That is what Jesus demonstrated.
Jesus’ faith was in His Father, His Father’s will and His Father’s Word. Notice all three take us out or ourselves and into God. We leave the chaos of lonely anxiety and focus outside, upwards and give ourselves on the wings of faith to the One who really cares what happens to each of us. Whether it is death of someone close, personal guilt and frustration or being victimized unjustly, it is God in Jesus who demonstrated that faith is the first step outside of self. It is faith that brings the next steps of clarity and order out of chaos, spiritual stability in an unstable environment and a heart that feels in the midst of heartless self-indulgence.
If we see our mourning in the context of Him, His presence, His Word it is then His Spirit comes to rearrange the condition of our minds and hearts. Now that’s comfort. The Kingdom of God is within. He showed it. Stay tuned.
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Comment by Martha H. McGinnis on March 16, 2009 at 8:11am
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Writey, This really touched my heart as it reminds me to look beyond troubles of today to what Jesus has waiting for me when there is no more pain, sorrow,heart break or death.. I know so many people with one or more of these in their lives .. I made a copy of this and took it to my small group..one person was so touched by it she going to make copies for others in the group..Thank you
Whitey for your obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.
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