Are you ready for some good news?
As surely as God was committed to restoring His people to their homeland after their exile in Babylon, God is committed to restoring joy in the hearts of those who weep.
It’s a sad week in our household because our 13-year-old beagle had to be put to sleep. Sweet Reesie suddenly wasn’t himself. It was a tumor in the stomach. I think of all the hours that our little girl played with Reesie in the back yard and I think of all the joy in that dog and I can just sob.
It’s hard when you’re sad about something to imagine not feeling that way. But, weeping does not tarry forever. In fact, tears and laughter are closer than we dare think.
When Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the new temple in Jerusalem, some of the old timers remembered the former temple and wept. Perhaps they wept for grief of the loss of the glorious temple of Solomon or perhaps they wept for joy that restoration was finally at hand.
According to the NIV Study Bible, archaeologists have uncovered an ancient cornerstone bearing the inscription: “I started the work weeping; I finished it rejoicing.”
Part of what grieves me about the loss of our pet is that I’m out of town as I write. I wasn’t able to be there to partner in the difficult day. And I’m not there to hug my 17-year-old daughter who loved the beagle with a great and tender love all of her life. It hurts to see someone you love hurting. No one can explain fully why God allows the sin and pain of this world to tarry. But this is absolutely clear. God is your Father. He takes no delight in your tears. He no more wants to leave you comfortless than I would my daughter. And God is committed to this: the time is coming when every sorrow will turn to laughter.
God will restore joy to His people. And that’s the Gospel!
