Tag: comfort

Bad Day

Today’s readings are Psalms 5 and 6.

For whatever reason our 12-year-old has been listening to and likes the popular 2005 song by Daniel Powter, Bad Day. As I read today’s Psalms, it made me reflect on what we do when we have a bad day. Sometimes we may say “I need a drink..” and take refuge in that or mindless social media scrolling or binging on a Netflix series.  While drinking alcohol can be a polarizing topic among some Christians, one could argue that Jesus drank wine and unless you have an addiction problem, having a drink isn’t necessarily inherently bad. I’m not trying to make any readers feel guilty in that. But even without an addiction problem, just like social media or binging on a series, it’s not good for us if that’s where we consistently take “refuge” when things don’t go well. They are not the solution. Those things sometimes may make us feel worse or even if it makes us feel better and forget our problems temporarily, they will not solve them or give us the greater and long-term peace and comfort we are looking for.

Psalm 5:17 reads, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice.” If we read on Psalm 6:8-9 says,”….for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.”

Isn’t it amazing? The Lord of the entire Universe hears us. The Lord of the entire Universe accepts our prayer. And we are told it’s in Him that we will then be able to rejoice.

It is common to hear the verse Jeremiah 29:11 referenced…

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

This is a great verse and though I think the verses around it give us more context and tie closely with our Psalms reading today.

Let’s check out Jeremiah 29:12..

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”

Then in the following verse Jeremiah 29:13…

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

We will find Him and He will hear us; we will be able to have comfort in Him and rejoice in His saving and loving grace when we seek Him with all our heart.

So, the next time we have a bad day (or a series of them), let us remember this and turn to Him in prayer and through reading His Word, rather than other vices.  Those other vices are temporary. Only in Him will we truly be able to rejoice and find a peace that passes understanding.

A Change of Paradigm

Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 3-4, Psalm 23, and Acts 6.

Below is a post I wrote on February, 7 2019. It was a “different time” as they say pre-COVID. As I read Psalm 23 in preparation for today’s assigned reading though, this change of paradigm and post came to mind, and it seemed appropriate to re-share it. I was also reminded the heading above this chapter in my Bible says, “The Lord is My Shepard.” It made me think again…we need our “Shepard” during this life here on Earth.

 

When you think of a funeral and what Bible passages are read most commonly, which ones come to mind? Today’s reading of Psalm 23 most certainly is in the top few. When I hear this verse, I picture a person walking down a dark path lonely with a light up ahead. I’m not sure this would be the mental vision God would want me to have about death. As I read this verse more closely, what stuck out to me is that it is “the valley of the shadow of death” in Psalm 23:4. We, who are still living, are in the “shadow of death.” This is where we have fears, anxieties, and worries that cause us stress. This is when we need his “rod and staff” to “comfort me.” This is when I need to “fear no evil” and my soul needs restoring by laying in “green pastures” and by going “beside still waters.”

Revelation 21:4 tells us, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be morning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” When I die, I want my funeral to be a celebration that I’m living in Heaven in perfect peace worshiping the only King forever. I want a band playing songs of praise with everyone standing and worshiping Him reminding all there of the joy they can have in eternal life through confessing their sins and belief in Him and His resurrection! They don’t need to be sad for me…I’m not in a dark valley standing there by myself lonely. I’m experiencing a joy we can’t even imagine on this Earth worshiping Him in a similar way to how I hope they are at that moment.

The first part of Psalm 23:8 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” telling us maybe Psalm 23 is more appropriate for a baby dedication, a first communion, a baptism, or even a wedding. We can live in perfect peace throughout our life because the second part of Psalm 23:8 says, “and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” When we fix our eyes on that which is eternal (the only thing that matters), we will have comfort and respite from the challenges in this life.

Here is the song 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman which was sung at my wife’s great uncle Lee Dexheimer’s funeral. It reminded me we will experience a peace that passes all human understanding just like Lee did that day and still is today, forever and ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

Control

Today’s readings are Job 37-39, Psalm 103, and Revelation 21.

Control.

Control is something we all want all the time..especially around Christmas. We want everything to be perfect… the travel, the outfit, the meal, the service, the gift, the time with family. The list could go on and on. We also want control of other areas of our lives…our careers, our relationships, our health, the actions of others, finances.

The saying goes..”control is an illusion.” If we think of some of the greatest leaders the world is ever known, it is very apparent even they were not fully in control. They were not in control before and after their lifetime and not even during their lifetime. God reminds us in Job 38 and 39 that He is fully in control of everything..including creation and nature. He laid the foundations of the earth (Job 38:4-7). He controls day and night (Job 38:12) and the rains (Job 38:34) just to name a few. He reminds us that we need to humble ourselves and be without conceit because even the most powerful human being’s control is extremely minute.

Psalm 103:19 reads…

The Lord has established his

throne in the heavens,

and His kingdom rules over all.

Did you catch that? He “rules over all” which means Earth. He is in control. Let us trust Him with all that is going on and with our lives and those we love.

Most importantly, He does not deal with us according to our sins. Psalm 103:8-12 tells us some characteristics about Him.

He is…..

  • merciful
  • gracious
  • slow to anger
  • abounding in steadfast love

He also…

  • does not deal with us according to our iniquities (sins)
  • does not repay us for our sins (see Romans 8:1 as well)
  • has steadfast love towards those who fear Him
  • removes our sins as far as the east is from the west

Reading these just makes me simply say, “WOW!” If we truly believe these things to be true, and we remind ourselves of these on a regular basis, this should bring us peace and joy.

How do we know these things to be true?

We will celebrate in just a few more days the birth of His Son just over 2,000 years ago who was God in the flesh. Jesus’ actions while here on Earth showed us firsthand that this is who God is….taking it so far as humble himself and die on the cross for you and for me where He left no question that He forgives our sins as Psalm 103:12 states. He then conquered death through His Resurrection so that we will someday do the same.

Let us consider reading Psalm 103 and Revelation 21:4 on a regular basis in 2024 as a source of comfort, peace, strength, and hope.

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

Have a blessed Christmas and 2024.

Comforter

Today, we are examining God as our comforter.  This post was originally written in 2017 by Michael Summers.

Paul’s letters to the Corinthians are painful to read.  Yesterday David asked if any of us had ever experienced having a person we were trying to help question our motives and speak negatively about us to others.  I sadly answered yes in my heart as I read David’s prompting.

That experience was difficult for me.  Today’s reading challenged me to grow. Especially verses 3-7.

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

God is our comforter.  Παράκλησις, translated as comfort here, could also be translated ‘encourage’.  It holds in it the element of acceptance, council, and courage.  As if to say God is the one who finds our sorrow acceptable (or not) and strengthens us to continue on (if it is acceptable, more on this latter).

Παρακαλέω, translated as comfort three times in verse 4, could also be translated as urge, implore or exhort.  This helped me understand the activating (or reactivating) nature of this word as if strengthening one to get back in the fight.  God provides us the strength to continue Glorifying Him.

4 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.

‘That we’ is a purpose clause.  God strengthens us so that we may be strengthened and encourage others.  Citing God’s character as the Comforter; the source of strength gives God glory.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

This was the most challenging part for me.  The comfort supplied has no limits, so long as our sufferings are in Christ.  Put another way, God supplies us with all the comfort we need for righteous suffering.

The question then became, what if the suffering was not righteous?  That is, what if the suffering was actually a result of my selfish ambition, seeking my own glory and not God’s?  This was my wake up call.

If I did not receive strength and comfort for the sorrow I felt, does it then mean that it was chastening rather than suffering for Christ?  I am inclined to consider this deeply.  Afterall, are we to believe that all suffering is because we are seeking Christ glory perfectly?  If not, as I reflect on a past wound that lingered too long, that sapped my strength when I know it shouldn’t have, I am inclined to think it was due to my sin and pride.

Ouch and amen! God is the righteous One who judges.  I am the sinner who is judged.  God is the Merciful One who gives grace.  I am the one in desperate need of His mercy and grace.   Admitting this depravity is the first step to receiving that which I need from God.  Confessing our Sin is our humble gate that protects God’s glorious reputation. (see extra credit below)

6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

We are to thank God for the righteous suffering.  We will know it by the degree to which we are supernaturally strengthened.  This is to be shared with and passed on to those who suffer.  All the time giving glory to God as the Strengthener.

7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

 

Extra Credit: God’s Glory and Confession of Sin

All things were created for God’s glory. (Revelation 4:11, Isaiah 43:7)  The proud are too busy seeking their own glory to give God His glory.  Confessing our sin proclaims God’s character as holy and His Law as right. (Luke 23:41)  Not confessing our sin is a way of blaming God for sin.  Notice the first sin and how Adam blames God. (Genesis 3:12)  Confessing our sin humbles us and gives God glory. (Joshua 7:19) In summary, when we do not confess our sin it is disagreeing with God, a form of attack on His reputation.  When we say, “God I deserve this” it agrees with God and brings Him glory.  We were designed to bring God glory.  This is one way we can do it.  Confessing our sin.  

The world says, ‘find your strengths and play them up.” the Word says “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2Corinthians 12:10)