SORROW AND JOY

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." -Psalm 30:5 [KJV]

It is most profitable, yea, blessed, to have right conceptions of the Lord's dealings with His people. Jesus is everlastingly pursuing one plan of love; and never, in a single instance, departs from it. But as we see only part of His ways, until the result come, exercises by the way much perplex our poor short-sighted view of things. Jesus, for the most part, brings His people into the wilderness, in order to speak comfortably to them there. But while in the wilderness, we are at a loss to trace the footsteps of His love. And when, after some sweet love-tokens of His favour, new trials arise, though Jesus, it should seem, designed by the mercy to prepare for trouble, yet, by our false interpretation of it, we aggravate the trouble, and make it greater.  

My soul, do learn from the precious thoughts suggested by the scripture of the evening, to form a right estimate of the Lord's dealings with thee. "Weeping may endure for a night." It may appear a long night, a wearisome night: but, remember, it is but a night. Every hour, yea, every moment is shortening it, and when the morning comes, joy will come with it. And in proportion to the darkness or the sorrow of the night, the daylight will be more delightful. The most blessed discoveries Jesus makes of Himself, are generally those after a sorrowful night.  

Precious Lord! be Thou Thyself the "day dawn, and the day-star" to my soul, after a night of painful exercise; yea, be Thou "the Sun of righteousness" with healing in Thy wings! And then neither the night of sleep, nor the night of death will be more than the passing hour. And, Lord, "When I awake up from both; I shall be still with Thee!" 

-Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)