THEY SHALL OBTAIN JOY AND GLADNESS.

 

 

JANUARY 22
They shall obtain joy and gladness.
Isaiah 35:10
 

They who mourn on earth, on account of sin;
  shall rejoice in heaven, possessed of holiness.
 
Many of the Lord’s people enjoy but little here,
  but joy is sown for the righteous,
  and gladness for the upright in heart.
 
We may have a dull dripping seed time,
  but we shall have a joyous sunny harvest.
 
A sickly body, a trying family, a distracted church,
  a troublesome business, may hinder our enjoy much now;
  but all these things will soon come to an end.
 
Sickness shall give place to health;
  trials to triumphs;
  the church shall be united and happy;
  and our employments will be our enjoyments.
 
Sighs will give place to songs,
  sadness will be exchanged for gladness,
  and everlasting joy will crown us.
 
We have the worst at the present,
  the best is all before us.
 
Joy and gladness is our inheritance,
  our Saviour procured it by his death,
  he secures it by his intercession, and
  he is waiting to introduce us to it.
 
The time will come soon come, when
   “God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes;
    and there shall be no more sorrow, nor crying,
     neither shall there be any more pain.”
 
Yes, though the universe shall burn,
   And God work his destroyed,
With songs his ransom’d shall return,
   And everlasting joy.
 
James Smith 1849