Daily Devotionals
Devotional: 4th of Av
Tears may linger for the night, but with dawn come cries of joy (Ps.30:5 [6]).
One of the best-known traditions in the Jewish wedding ceremony is the breaking of a glass under the groom's heel at the end of the ceremony. The shattering sound is greeted with joyous shouts of "Mazel Tov!" (Congratulations!) There are several explanations for this ceremony, but the most common is that this act commemorates the destruction of the Temple.
The rabbis have taught that even at times of greatest joy, such as weddings, we should not forget to grieve over the destruction of the Temple. Such is the nature of life. Joy is often tempered with sadness, and the troubles we experience in this life often intrude upon the happy moments.
God wants us to share his eternal perspective. He wants the joy of his presence and his promises for the future to be real even during our moments of deepest sadness. The joys and the sorrows of this world are temporal. No matter what struggles and disappointments we may face, no matter what sadness we may endure, joy always comes with the dawn. In God we have eternal hope. A new day is dawning when he will wipe away all sorrow, sadness, and tears from our eyes.
...walk in the joy of the Lord and allow whatever sorrow I must face to be tempered by the promise of his future grace.
DB
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