"Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye My People, Saith Your God" (Isaiah 40.1)

by N/A | Category: General | Nov 1943

This was part of the prophet's mission on earth in his day, and all of us, as children of God,. should seek to render this service. There are many comfortless hearts in the world to-day and if we are to be sufficient for this lowly service we shall require training, for the ability to give comfort is not natural to all. One who has suffered learns how to be a help to others, because of the experience of having had their own wounds bound up by the Great Physician. In 2 Corinthians 1.4, Paul writes of God" who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are- comforted of God."

To be a true comforter we must ourselves have faith in God and learn to cast all our care upon Him. David says in Psalm 37.5,

"Commit thy way unto the LORD;

Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."

We are also exhorted by Paul,-" In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus " (Philippians 4. 6, 7) Thus shall we be in a condition as free from corroding care ourselves to sympathise with and comfort others. There is ever a danger and we need to be on our guard against it, of bringing our cares to the throne of grace and instead of leaving them there bringing them away with us Rather should we follow the worthy example of Hannah, and when we commit all our cares to God, act as she did. "Go in peace" said Eli, "and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of Him," with the result that "the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad" (1 Samuel 17.18). It is evidence of lack of faith when we act otherwise than Hannah did, for the Scriptures tell us-" This is the boldness that we have toward Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him" (1 John 5.14, 15).

The sad experience is to be avoided referred to in the lines:

"And what I would not leave with Thee,

Of course I had to bear."

To stand firm amidst severe testings and saying like David, "What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee" (Psalm 56.8), will lead to an increase of faith, and, though great faith may bring great testings, yet with confidence we shall be able to say, "I will -fear no evil-; for Thou art with me" (Psalm 23.4).

Paul exhorted the Ephesians to "be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might" and if we obey this exhortation we will be able to sing truthfully: "With Christ in the vessel We smile at the storm."

So then, let us seek t6 learn to be comforters in our day. The Lord is our strength. He will give the power to overcome all difficulties and our experience of His help will fit us to help others. "Our sufficiency is from God" (2 Corinthians 3.5).

N/A | Nov 1943
General