Comfort

Yesterday in worship we celebrated VBS Sunday with "God's Word is ... Comforting." To be honest it was a struggle for me. The question I shared toward the beginning of the sermon was my question, "How can he [the psalmist] say that?" (the "that" being "Thy Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path," and our scripture phrase from the same psalm 119, "Your promise revives me; it COMFORTS me in all my troubles.") How can we, who are not unlike the psalmist who says he is "suffering much" and is asking God to "restore my life again as you promised ... my life constantly hangs in the balance ... the wicked have set their traps for me", find comfort in God's Word.

Knowing that so many in our congregation are struggling with some huge issues (divorce, cancer, long-term job loss, financial burdens, addictions), I was concerned about sharing that God's Word is Comforting. I personally know it to be true, but I knew I was going to have to be able to answer the question, "How is God's Word comforting?"

Well, I hope you were here for the sermon to find the answer.

How interesting it was to find that Monday's "The Refrain for the Morning Lessons" in my devotional/centering prayer time was from Psalm 71:21, "You strengthen me more and more; you enfold me and comfort me." I took it as a "God Thing" that perhaps God thought the sermon on Sunday was helpful (perhaps even on target). It was also interesting to find that today is an opportunity to remember Barnabas (whose name means "son of encouragement", one of the circle of seventy who founded the Church. He was martyred for his faith, at Salamis, June 61 a.d. Part of the Morning Lesson was from Acts 11:

"They sent Barnabas out to Antioch. There he was glad to see for himself that God had given grace, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord."

Perhaps Encouragement and Comfort are not too far apart. Perhaps God's Word is Comforting because God uses people like Barnabas to live out God's Comforting Word through Encouragement.

BIT: No, I won't leave you hanging if you missed the sermon on Sunday. My thoughts on "God's Word is Comforting" is that scripture (God's Word) is more about a personal encounter with God, than just impersonal words of information. God is more interested in having a relationship, a connection that is deep and strong. A relationship with God through Jesus Christ brings Comfort out of God's Word.

BITTER: Who will you encourage today? Perhaps it will bring someone God's Word of Comfort. "You strengthen me more and more; you enfold me and comfort me."