There are many commands for the believer within the pages of sacred scripture; love your enemies, treat others how you want to be treated yourself, give and do no expect anything in return. But perhaps the least thought of, the least applied - the command we've never heard a sermon preached on, comes from the fourth chapter of the book of James. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle commands us to weep! "Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloominess" (vs 9).
It's almost offensive to our ears. This command is the opposite of our self-help, entertainment-driven culture. Even our seeker-driven preaching conspicuously is absent of any seriousness. But here our Lord reminds us of the solemnity of sin: that sin is no joke.
The hardest thing to do is to get people to think seriously about there sin. Even to suggest that someone might just be a sinner, is an act of cultural suicide. But the Bible describes our sin as obnoxious to the holiness of God.
There are sessions of great rejoicing in the life of the believer, but those are times when our thoughts are on the love and works of God towards us. When we turn our gaze onto ourselves, we should be marked as people of great sorrow, for within ourselves, no good thing dwells (Rom. 7:18).
Dear reader, remember today that Jesus has never cast out a single repenting sinner. The more we remember in sorrowful repenting, the more He forgets in forgiveness and fills with joy.
Father, grant me repentance today. Teach me to think seriously about my sin, and in Your forgiveness, to find rest for my soul.
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