Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- May 23, 2013
“And many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.” John 11:19
Have you lost someone or something close to your heart—a baby, a spouse, a friend, a job or an opportunity? A great loss requires great grace or the pain is unbearable. Why do some expecting mothers have a stillborn child and others don’t? Can we truly understand these puzzling matters until we get to heaven and are able to ask, “Why Lord, why?”
Where is God when emotions run raw and a great hole of hurt embeds in the heart? We don’t always understand the ways of God, but we can always count on Christ’s comfort. The Lord lingers long close to those caught in the pain of great loss. What others cannot totally understand, your Heavenly Father fully comprehends. Grace soothes aching hearts. Christ’s comfort nurses like cool cough syrup flowing down a swollen, inflamed throat.
“For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:5). The Lord’s comfort is limitless in its capacity to cure.
Furthermore, Christ comforts us, so we are able to extend His compelling comfort to others. Productive pain pays it forward in a faith-based solution to other sad souls. Giving is therapy in God’s economy, so those of us saved by grace are not stingy with its application. Who do you know that needs a listening ear, a silent prayer or a caring visit?
If comfort is kept closed up in the closet of our busyness, then we miss out on one of life’s great joys. Shame on any servant of Jesus that only has time to hear the heart of the spiritually healthy. Be aware, as tears hover under the surface of a tender heart in your circle of influence. Look around; who is struggling with health, work or relational issues? Comfort them, as your influence ripples like a rock slicing through a still body of water.
Noah was known as the comforter, “He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed” (Genesis 5:29).
Say a prayer for someone in despair; send flowers to a young mom who just lost her little one after the first trimester of pregnancy, network for an acquaintance in career transition, pay the rent for a struggling relative, or introduce someone broken to the uplifting love and saving power of Jesus Christ. Comfort is your platform to proclaim God’s grace. You cannot over comfort others, so join the Body of Christ in loving another hurting heart.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Prayer: Where do I need Christ’s comfort and who do I know that needs His comfort and joy?
Related Readings: Job 42:11; Psalm 86:17, 119:76; John 14:1; 2 Corinthians 7:6-7
Post/Tweet today: Christ’s comfort nurses like cool cough syrup flowing down a swollen, inflamed throat. #comfort
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© 2013 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.
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Thank you for this encouraging devotional. I recently met a woman who lost her husband of 13 years to a tragic accident. It has been 18 months since his death but, she still struggles to make sense of it all. I was standing in the parking lot of the CVS talking with her and I heard a small whisper say, just listen. So that’s what I did. We both cried and hugged and she said thank you for listening to me. Sometimes just a listening ear is comfort.
God Bless you Jodi~~This week was the 24th Birthday of my daughter Taylor who crossed the river Jordon at the ripe old age of 7 weeks. My heart still yearns to hold her & I still cry at times. Yet it is a true blessing to have someone to listen when that is how I am feeling. You gave the love of God to that woman & it means so much.
My daughter passed of cancer at 17 after suffering for two years to try to save her life. What does the bible say about cancer?
I lost my 6year daughter…in the hands of my ex husband.She was murdered n thrown in a reservoir.Prayers n reading the bible is what has kept me going n is giving me grace even to talk to him.Its hard but having christians around me has kept me going.
Dear Lisa,
First, let me just say, as a believer and a mother, my heart hurts for you as I read your post. I cannot begin to imagine the pain you felt (as still feel) losing your daughter. But as a believer, I rejoice that she is resting in our Savior’s arms, free of pain and suffering. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev.21: 4 PRAISE GOD!
To answer your post question, I do not believe the Bible specifically addresses the subject of cancer. However, the Bible does mention diseases throughout the Old and New Testament. For instance, Jeremiah 30:17 states “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord.” In Matthew 8:1-3, we learn about a man with leprosy.
Again, there is no direct mention of cancer.
Please find comfort and peace in the One who comforts His children when they are hurting.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Lisa, my prayers are with you and your family.
Believing and Trusting~
Gwynne