Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (New King James Version)
Comfort in Suffering
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

2 Corinthians 7:5-7 (New King James Version)
5 For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. 6 Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

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Some things weren’t going the way I expected. I wasn’t worried, though maybe just a little concerned. The Lord ministered to me through music as I drove doing errands:

Our God – Chris Tomlin
I Choose to Worship – Wes Morgan
Before the Morning – John Wilson
Wholly Yours – David Crowder Band
Beautiful – MercyMe
You Alone – Echoing Angels

I thought of all the comfort that the Lord was providing to me at this time – through His Presence, through the music. While parked, I was reading sermon notes from a church program (Providence Missionary Baptist Church); the sermon title was “God’s Comfort Can Cure” with Scripture text 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. In part, Pastor Gerald L. Durley says:


Comfort is a word which in modern speech has lost much of its New Testament meaning. It suggests to us a kind of sedative, a palliative for pain of the body or mind. The comfort of God is no narcotic. The word “comforter” applied to the Holy Spirit means “strengthener” (John 14:16). It has the same root as "fortify.” We comfort a sufferer when we give him/her courage to bear their pain
or face any misfortune. Comfort is what establishes people back on their feet. The comfort of God is rooted in His fellowship. Comfort is felt when God enters the situation. God gives us comforting thoughts to guide us on our journey. The best answer to human need is a more adequate thought of God. Comfort makes trouble bearable. It delivers us from the fear of this crushing universe. It fills life with hope. It takes us out of the grip of loneliness. … Let us find God’s comfort for whatever we are going through by learning to trust Him more and more … draw closer to God and completely, even for a brief moment, surrender to God’s divine authority and accept His comfort.

Then, I met a woman and we talked for a little while. As we were parting, I introduced myself and asked her name. It was Comfort…
…and my journey with Him continues…

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