Comfort from the Word
Stuart L. Brogden 28 April 19, 2006
2 Corinthians 1:3 – 5: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”
We normally hear these verses used to rightly encourage us to comfort brothers in trials, knowing that our Lord gave us comfort for such an occasion. This is legitimate reading and encouragement for us to minister to others. But I want to focus on the preposition – “the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation”. God provides comfort to us as a measure of His grace for us as individuals in addition to preparing us for ministry.
How does He do this?
Let me give you an example to illustrate how He provides this comfort and one on how we can miss it.
When I was a child, my mom read to us from Our Daily Bread, a devotional from Radio Bible Class. When I was a young man, I lived as though God was not. My mother died from brain cancer when I was 16. I sought comfort in booze and a friend who was like minded. No comfort was found. My father taught me many good things about life, but not much of anything about God or following in His steps.
Through many circumstances over the years, such as the birth of our first-born, God called me back. When I was leaving the Army, in 1985, I saw a copy of Our Daily Bread on the chaplain’s table and picked it up. I began to develop a habit of spending time in the Word, with the Lord, using this devotional.
Summer of 1988 – my father was dying from lung cancer, 16 years after cancer had taken my mom. Late into the night of July 31st, he died. As I wept over my loss, I was drawn to the Bible and the devotional – and here’s what I read.
Our Daily Bread, July 31st, 1988
Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 18
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
Think of it! Every father, mother, son, daughter, relative, and friend who has died in the Lord will be with Jesus when He returns to gather His own to Himself. In verse 17 of 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul declared that "we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them." The two little words "with them" suggest a joyous coming together of all believers.
This hope burned brightly in my mother's heart as her life drew to a close.
On the day before she died in 1976, my brother and I were called to her bedside. Although very weary, she quoted some favorite Bible verses and spoke of "going Home." After we had been with her for several hours, she urged us not to stay through the night but to go home and get some rest. As I was about to leave, she said, "If I don't see you tomorrow, I'll see you over There!" The next day she slipped quietly into the presence of her Savior just a few minutes before I arrived at her bedside. Her last words to me will be precious as long as I live.
What a joy to know that Christians do not say a final goodby! While death breaks our earthly ties, we have the sure hope that those who die as believers are living in the presence of Jesus and will return with Him in glory.
Does your heart ache because death has taken a believing loved one from you? Think of the glorious reunion that awaits you. We will not see our dear ones again in this life, but we will see them over There!
Oh, what a meeting, there in the skies,
No tears nor crying shall dim our eyes;
Loved ones united eternally,
Oh, what a day break that morn will be!
Separation is the law of earth--reunion is the law of heaven.
Consider it. Do you believe His Words?
In his proclamation on Mars’ Hill (Acts 17), Paul told the Oprah Winfrey crowd of the day that God set the times and boundaries in which men live. He set my course to be in His Word, in that devotional during one of my most difficult trials. And He caused the authors and publishers of Our Daily Bread to have that specific scripture and devotional comments to provide me the comfort promised in 2 Corinthians.
You want to be comforted by God when you need it most? Be in the Word, spend time with the Lord. He will keep His promise and you will be comforted and equipped to comfort others. We can’t walk in the counsel of our own “wisdom” and expect to be equipped when someone looks to us for comfort from God. Preparation is key – it’s called sanctification and requires each of us to spend time in the Word, communing with God, serving the brotherhood. In our lives, we will experience trials; if we pursue sanctification, He will comfort us. Or we can follow the way of the world and miss what God has for us. The choice is yours – where will you seek comfort?