April 6, 2016 – Matthew 5:4-5

God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. Matthew 5:4-5God blesses those who mourn, and those who are humble.   Then you will be comforted and inherit the whole earth.  Suddenly I see a separation between humility and inheriting the whole earth.  What earth?  When we think of inheritance and the whole earth, we see world wealth. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? Mark 8:36-37.  Can it be inheriting the New Earth?In our finite world, we see death as entering into a period of mourning that seems to be endless.  Mourning, to us, is Sadness without end.    We want the world to stop and mourn with us.  We don’t want to comforted.  And one morning we wake up and we are comforted when we entrust our loved one to the care of the Lord.  We enjoy the memories of their love and their actions and words that are endearing.  And we see others who are walking the same path you did.  That is when we realize the gift of trouble God has given us.We can comfort others in their troubles, because God has placed a mantle of comfort on us in ours.  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  James 1:2-4.  James, verse 1 goes on to say…If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith,with no doubting…  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:4-5