Today's Passage - John 16:19-22

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16:19-22    "Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."    The way of the cross will always be pain first and joy later. The Lord Jesus knows that he has to go to the cross and give up his life for the people of the world. He has to depart from the Father's glorious presence and leave the splendors of heaven to come to the world as a man. And now he has to face another departure, the departure from the disciples he loved. If you think it is easy for Jesus to leave his disciples, you haven't understood the true meaning of his incarnation. He is truly man with flesh and bones. He laughs and he cries. He loved the disciples and washes their feet. He grieves for them because they do not understand what he is about to do. Yet, Jesus can still be joyful in the midst of the painful and sorrowful farewell. This is because he knows that the goodbye is only temporary and the sorrow is for a moment. He clearly knows there is hope in God's eternal plan because in a short while he will be resurrected from the dead and go back to heaven. Afterwards, he will be with the ones he loved through the Holy Spirit. This carries such a glorious hope!     You and I also have temporary troubles on earth. As the passage says, we will weep and mourn. However, the Lord says in vs. 12, "but your grief will turn to joy", because in the Lord, there's hope! This is like our sisters who are mothers. Basically, pregnancy is a long and hard process. The birthing experience is endlessly painful. Yet, the mother knows that the pain is temporary, because when the time comes she will be rejoice!    In the same way, you and I may be in various grief and troubles, waiting for the Lord to rescue us. Nevertheless, thanks be to God for the Lord promises us, "but your grief will turn to joy". Furthermore, this is a joy that no one will take away! Hallelujah! For God says, "The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light". God will be your glory because the LORD will be your everlasting light and your days of grief are finished. Praise our Lord!                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, in the victorious name of Jesus, I bless the brothers and sisters: Lord, you will be their everlasting light and their strength! The days of grief are finished and you will be their salvation, turning their weeping to rejoicing! I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!