THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort”—2 Corinthians 1:3

 God is not a God who pushes his people away and punishes them.  He wants us to turn to Him and be reconciled to Him.  “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life”  (Romans 5:10).  You see God invests Himself in relationship with us.  His grace and comfort in our lives empowers us to serve others and invest in their lives.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, was anointed to comfort “all that mourn.”  The “God of all comfort” sent His Son to be the comforter of a mourning and lost world.  And all through His life on earth He fulfilled His divine mission.  When His disciples asked Him to call down fire from Heaven to consume people who refused to receive Him, He turned and rebuked them, and said: “You do not know what manner of spirit that you are of.”  For the son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but rather to save them.”  He received sinners and ate with them.  Always and everywhere He was on the side of sinners.  He came to save sinners.  When it was time for Him to depart this earth, He told His disciples that He would not leave them comfortless, but would send “another Comforter” who would abide with them forever.  This Comforter, He said, would teach them all things, and would bring all things to their remembrance. 


The Apostle Paul instructs us to “…warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, help the weak, and to be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14 my own emphasis added).  Love requires us to move toward the person to bring encouragement and wise counsel.   We are instructed to “Help the weak.”   The world help can be translated:  “Hold on to them,” or “Put your arm round them.”  We are not to push people away—no we have not so learned of Christ; but rather we come along side of people to give practical guidance and support through the long process of change.  Isaiah the prophet said it this way:

 “Comfort, oh comfort my people,” says your God.  “Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem  but also make it very clear that she has served her sentence, that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!
She’s been punished enough and more than enough, and now it’s over and done with” (Isaiah 42:1, 2 MSG).

Prayer—Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Comforter to me not just to be a comfort to myself; but also that I may be a comfort to others.  Lord I ask You to use me as an instrument of peace and comfort to Your people today, help me not to push people away, but to embrace them and demonstrate Your love, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

WHEN YOU ARE SIDE-SWIPED BY LIFE’S CIRCUMSTANCES, TURN TO GOD

“I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.”—Psalm 3:4

 

Less than an hour after my husband had left for work, I received a profound telephone call.  My husband’s small Toyota pick-up truck had been broad-sided by a train.  My heart seemed to turn over on the inside of me.  As my mind tried to comprehend what I had been told, I hardly recognized that it was my husband who was talking to me.  He was asking me to come and pick him up, but my mind and my mouth kept asking if he was physically alright.  It was a few minutes before my mind could comprehend that indeed he was alright and that I needed to get into the car and go get him.  During the forty minute drive, I began praising the Lord for preserving his life, and restoring all that the enemy meant for our harm.  When I reached my husband and saw what was left of his small pick-up truck, I was speechless.  By looking at the vehicle, it seemed impossible that anyone could walk away from that devastation.  However, God preserved his life.  When questioning my husband about what had happened, He said that he did not see or hear the train as he began to cross the tracks.  When he felt the impact and the train began pushing he truck down the track, he began to say, “I will not be afraid of sudden terror.”  Proverbs 3:25-26 says, “Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.” 

 

At the very moment that my husband was side-swiped by life’s circumstances, he cried out to God for help.  The Lord heard his cry for help and delivered him from all his troubles.

 

In the Bible, crying out refers to speaking audibly with great emotion concerning an urgent need.  God invites us to use this form of prayer to communicate that we desperately need his mercy.

 

It takes both faith and humility to share our heart’s concern aloud.  Crying out is a way for God’s children to express trust in the Lord’s ability and willingness to help.  By calling upon Him, with such urgency, we also lay down our pride and any attitude of self-sufficiency.

 

The Word of God assures us that our Father hears our cries and responds.  When we call aloud for help in Jesus’ name, we invite His power into the situation.  Remember that there is just strength in speaking His name.  We can always count on His comfort and presence, which enable us to live with hope and peace.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You are an ever present Help in time of trouble, and that I can cry out to You and You will hear my cry and deliver me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.