Daily Devotional

Friday, July 6, 2010

“Blessed are those who mourn,

  for they shall be comforted.”

If we mourn our sin, then we recognize that sin grieves our heavenly father, and not only are we sinners before his eyes, but we are devoid of all righteousness, and do not deserve salvation and the joys of heaven.

We must ask ourselves if we really mourn our sins. We cannot mourn our sin unless the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, shows us that we have violated the laws of God, causes us to realize that we are spiritually bankrupt, completely lost without Christ, and by nature enemies of God.

The mourning this beatitude refers to is not because of some unfortunate event, death of a loved one, or financial loss, but rather because we have recognized that we have sinned against a holy God, and brought dishonor to his name. We, as true believers, mourn because our sin brings great sorrow to God.

This mourning also brings peace and hope to the believer. Jesus said that those who mourn will be comforted, and by acknowledging our sin and being grieved by it, we cry out to God that we are unworthy, that we have fallen short, and that we completely depend on Christ for salvation. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says: “For sadness in a godly way makes for repentance that leads to salvation”. Our sadness for our sin points us toward the cross, which provides us with hope and comfort in that Christ died for us, to make us right with God.

Prayer:

Lord, show me the hidden evils of my heart. Pour out your spirit in me. Create in me a mournful heart. I confess that I am a sinner, and my sins have separated me from you, the most holy God. Thank you for providing a way for me to approach you, Lord. Thank you for the sacrificing your son for a wretch like me. Lord, I ask that you never let me get used to the idea that Christ died for me. I pray that everyday that fact would cause me to mourn my sin, and that I would find my comfort in you.