the blessedness of mourning for sin. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5, verse 4.

Blessed are those who mourn. This is a strange saying to the worldly-minded and sin-loving. But here again, the Lord Jesus turns the wisdom of this world on its head. He does not speak of earthly grief over loss or pain, but of a deeper, holier sorrow, a mourning over one's sin. This is no superficial sadness, nor is it the regret of one merely caught in wrongdoing. This mourning flows from a heart that has seen the vileness of their sin in the light of God's holiness. It is the sorrow of a soul awakened by sovereign grace, grieved not only by the consequences of sin, but by its very presence. The one who mourns in this way is crushed by the weight of having offended so good and glorious a God.

Like David, he cries, Against you, you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight. Psalm 51, verse 4.

This kind of sorrow is a gift from God. The natural man does not grieve over sin in this way. But when the Holy Spirit convicts, He breaks the heart and draws it to repentance. And to such mourners, Jesus gives a precious promise. They will be comforted.

What is this comfort? It is the comfort of full and free forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. The mourning sinner hears the gospel and discovers that Christ has borne every sin, every shame, every curse. The very sins that caused his sorrow have been nailed to the cross and buried in the tomb. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans chapter 8 verse 1.

It is the comfort of divine assurance that God will never cast out the broken and contrite heart. Psalm chapter 51 verse 17.

It is the comfort of sweet fellowship with Christ who is near to all who mourn over their sin. And it is the comfort of a sure hope, the promise that one day every tear will be wiped away and we will dwell with Jesus forever in a place where sin can never enter.

Beloved, do not think lightly of your sorrow over sin. Do not suppress the mourning that humbles your heart. It is a mark of saving grace, and it leads to the deepest joy. Every tear shed over sin will be answered with the smile of a forgiving God. He who wounds also heals. He who breaks the heart binds it with cords of everlasting love.

Father, give me a heart that mourns over my sinfulness, deeply, sincerely, and continually. Let me never grow cold to the evil of my iniquity, and yet, O Lord, comfort me with the knowledge that Jesus has borne it all. Thank you for the promise of complete forgiveness, freedom from shame and condemnation, and eternal glory with Christ. May I find my peace, my joy, and my comfort in Him alone. In His name I pray, amen.