GPP 15: Grief Now, Joy Then

If mankind ever had reason for joy,
It was when God dwelt in flesh as a man;
He abstained His divine power employ,
Yet lived sinless, a feat that none other can!
Jesus, God’s earthly name, for all sins atoned,
By shedding His blood for us on the cross,
Thus paying the debt ev’ry one owned,
And restoring the life that sin had cost!
O’ercoming death, God tarried forty days,
Removing all doubt that He lived again;
Then He rose to heav’n to run the world’s ways,
And there’ll be no end to His royal reign!
The trumpet will sound, and so will His voice;
He’ll return to earth; His saved will rejoice!

Promise Made: John 16:19-22 (NIV)—“Jesus saw that they [His apostles] wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, ‘Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while, you will see me? I tell you the truth, 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.’ “ [Brackets added]

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)