Feeling a little dour today over a loss?  Read on….

Matthew 5: 1: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ….. 4: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 

 Meeting Jesus means connecting with comfort.  Life is full of disconcerting events.  Comfort is a sure provision for the mournful, not for the moanful.  So often, we can connect with hard events and moan about our circumstances.  Moan and mourn are not the same.  Mourn focuses on the loss of a person we love.  Moan focuses on us and our present perceived personal pain.  We can moan over loss of a job, loss of a dog, loss of anything or anyone that had our affection.   Mourn is about the other person.  It is about the pain of the loss of removal of a loved one or some part of that loved one.  Mourning may be over abuse instigated against someone we love.  There is a piece of their future lost.  We mourn the loss on their behalf.  Mourning most time is over the loss of a loved one to this planet.  Jesus promises blessing to those who mourn.  They are in a position of pain on the account of another human being.  They will be comforted.  Take heart, there is comfort for those that love and mourn.  There is no real mourning without love.

 Charle’s Story: Charles was distraught in his soul.  For years, he had invested time and energy into this congregation.  Now, it had fallen on hardness.  Leadership had moved a destructive direction.  So many families now were simply sitting at home and not joined to any local congregation.  His heart was heavy.  At times, he moaned in prayer for restoration of his friends to a brighter life in Christ.  It hurt.  It was a mourning for them that would not leave him even five years after the cataclysm.

As he walked to his car from the coffee shop the sound of a familiar voice broke his dour mood.  The lilt in the greeting surprised him.  From eight cars away, a familiar face from five years ago beamed at him.  “Pastor Charles, remember me?  I go to Old Church.  Have a great day!  Glad to see you.”  It was a blessing.   It was a comfort.  Here was a face from long past that he had forgotten.  There was joy in the face and happiness in the voice.  His mood was lifted and comfort came in.

ACT!  For whom do you mourn?  Take a few minutes to think of some great joy they gave to you or even a little one.  Let a little light of comfort enter into the darkness.

 PRAY!   Father, there are moments of mourning that seem to overwhelm my soul.  My heart becomes dreary.   The slightest smile eludes my face.  Brighten me, Father.  Send some of that comfort my direction.  And, Father, let me find words to comfort another.  Let me find a way to speak a message that sends the hope into a heart of a future not a loss.  There is a future in comfort.  There is a surety of a brighter day on the other side of mourning.   There is a promise that joy can be heard in the morning after mourning.   There is the life of a new baby blessing the future to bring comfort.