Now is Your Time of Grief, But I Will See You Again

"Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." John 16:22

Jesus said these words as He was eating the final supper with His disciples, preparing them for what was about it happen. We always picture the Last Supper as painted by Leonard da Vinci (did you know that painting was 15' x 29'?). But if we read the accounts carefully, it is clear this included more than the twelve.

Can you put yourself in that room and feel the sorrow at His words? 'What do you mean that you're leaving us? What? You didn't overthrow Rome yet!' Many, if not most, expected the Messiah to set up a kingdom on earth. But now Jesus is telling them that He is going away and they will be persecuted and thrown out of the synagogue. The promise of the Holy Spirit probably passed right over their panicked heads. But they didn't know...how could they?

Jesus told them that His joy would be in them. Imagine! The joy of God! We have that too! No matter what we go through, the Holy Spirit protects our heart from despair, pouring God's very own love into us and fanning the flame of hope. It is something impossible to describe - always surprising and wondrous.

Two thousand plus years later, these words still carry weight and are as meaningful now as they were then. Every time we forget that He is there, He has "left us", but we know that He immediately reaches out to keep us from sinking. Ah, that joy! The Almighty God, Creator of all things, gives us HIS joy and will NEVER leave us. Ever!

Have a blessed day!

Bev

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