Daily Bible Reading Plan - 2 Kings 8, Lamentations 4, 2 Corinthians 1-2
The Comforter
This summer the day after Father's Day my hero and father passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Along with this and several other family difficulties this has been one of the hardest seasons of my life emotionally. As I read through the Bible today and pause and reflect on this difficult season 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 means so much to me. It says in vs. 3-4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
When we think of comfort we think of something we can give to others but in God's case it is not just something He gives but it is something He is. John 14:16(ASV) states, "And I (Jesus) will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever". The Comforter is the Holy Spirit the 3rd person of the Godhead. Think about how awesome this is. God does not just surround us with comfort, He surrounds us with Himself and if He is for us there is absolutely no one or no thing that can prosper against us.
When you not only have comfort but the Comforter look what happens. In 2 Kings 8 it talks of a famine that came into the land. This famine ravished everything these people had. When the woman in this story returned to her land after the famine everything was gone. In her season of despair and pain she took her petition to the king and when her story was heard the king responded in 2 Kings 8:6, "Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now." When we look for comfort in the Comforter He restores all things because all things are in His hands so he not only holds you in your moment of pain but He turns your morning into dancing (Psalm 30:11).
The God of all comfort, the Comforter himself has surrounded me and is lifting me up today out of my sorrow and pain. Although I know He will not physically bring my dad back to me here on earth He is giving me back my joy and my peace. He is not just doing it in this painful moment but as I reflect I see how He has done it time and time again and that assures me that He will do it in the future.
How about you today? What things are you facing and, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God"(Psalm 42:5 NIV). Today is the day where you need to turn to the Comforter for He will comfort you and restore to you all that is yours. Find joy, peace and comfort in Him today.
Tomorrows Bible Reading - 2 Kings 9, Lamentations 5, 2 Corinthians 3-4
Dream Big
Ben
|
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I am very excited about this series, Ben. It is going to be awesome, especially because (like the scripture says) you are using the comfort you have received to comfort others.
Post a Comment