A Time Of Sorrow
It appears in these days of much confusion and uncertainty that there is also much sorrow. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sorrow as:
1: distress, sadness, or regret especially for the loss of someone or somethingl oved:unhappy or unpleasant state
2: cause of grief or sadness
3: display of grief or sadness.
I have heard various news reports of people being lonely, anxious, depressed, unhappy, feeling sad, angry, with more mental health issues, etc. I believe a large part of this is that our society is breaking down and evil seems to permeate everything in our world. There is no comfort or stability in our Israel lands anymore as we struggle to feed our families, pay our bills, raise our children and try to understand where it is all heading. Leviticus 26:15-17 says, “And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.”
Sound familiar? Is this not what we have done today? Have our Israel lands, which were once blessed by a Holy God who loves us and wants us to live Holy lives with Him, not abandoned Him, and gone our own way and are now reaping the results of our arrogance and pride. Unfortunately for most people in our nations the sorrow they are feeling is not that they have abandoned God, but they are missing their once comfortable lives and are now experiencing all the judgments that are coming their way.
I think David’s words here express how we, who love the Lord and are experiencing sorrow in a different way. Our sorrow is that so many have abandoned their God and are in deep trouble if they don’t repent and come back to Him. We feel this heaviness that surrounds us because of the darkness. David’s words in Psa. 13:1-3 express some of what we feel today, “How long wilt thou forget me, OLord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?Consider and hear me, OLordmy God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;”
We are weary of this world and feel deep sorrow for all that are suffering. We are definitely living in the time described in Matt. 24:7-9, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.All these are the beginning of sorrows.Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” We have a little way to go yet but Jesus said these words in John 16:20-21, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” Our enemies may be rejoicing, but their time is short, but our sorrow in this world will soon turn to joy! Here is news for our enemies, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (1Tim. 6:9-11)
The future for us holds joy, not sorrow. The time of sorrow is almost up. We need repentance in our lands so more of our brethren can rejoice along with us. “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” (Rev. 21:3-5)
