“Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!” YOU HAVE TURNED FOR ME MY MOURNING INTO DANCING; You have PUT OFF MY SACKCLOTH AND CLOTHED ME WITH GLADNESS, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” (Psa. 30:10-12) There is one extremely important event that has taken place to turn our sorrow into divine gladness! The suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross to eradicate our sins and His resurrection for our promise of eternal life as a result,“…we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:17-18) “He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be NO MORE DEATH OR MOURNING OR CRYING OR PAIN, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) Paul tells us, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD OF THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS TOOK HOLD OF ME. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND and straining toward what is ahead, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL TO WIN THE PRIZE for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)
FORGET THE MOURNING AND PRESS ON TO WIN THE PRIZE…
-Bill Stockham