The trials that we go through here on earth give us empathy for others who are going through them now. God waste nothing in our life. He uses whatever we go through for our good and for His glory.
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. The New King James Version
To God be all glory!
1 John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
John was writing to the Jewish believers but all Scripture is profitable for our instruction. The Father sent the Son to be the savior of the world (John 3:16) The Gospel of the Kingdom brought us Jesus and in the Cross He offered salvation to the world.
2 Timothy 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
The power of God has saved us, not by our works, but according to His own purpose and grace. The plan for salvation was known by the Godhead in Christ Jesus before the world came into existence. Knowing that man would fail the Godhead knew that they would send the Son to save them. The eternal purpose of God was to save His creation and Israel was and is at the center of God’s plan. Without them God’s plan would not be accomplished.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Jesus told them that He would pray that the Father would send another Comforter, a Paraclete, the Holy Spirit to guide them. He would dwell in believers. The Spirit of truth is hidden in salvation but is freely given to those who believe in Jesus. Love accomplished everything needed for salvation.
Luke 18:31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.
Jesus took the Apostles to Jerusalem to celebrate the last Passover. He would go on to suffer and die for the sins of mankind. They did not understand. The fullness of His salvation was hidden from them. In His resurrection it would be revealed to them but even then they would not totally understand that His salvation was for the world and not just for the Jewish believers in Him.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Paul teaching on the 3rd person of the Trinity reinforced that we are the temple of God and the Spirit dwells in all who believe. He is the indwelling person of the Godhead. Carla
Paul alludes to a Jewish expression of praise called the barakhah, the Hebrew word for “blessing”. Paul praises God for His provision of comfort during hardship. Paul uses here, paraklēsis (and the corresponding verb parakaleō) for comfort. It typically refers to encouragement or consolation given to someone who is suffering or in mourning (Matthew 5:4). Faithlife Study Bible
A word of thanks often followed a letter’s salutation. Blessed expresses adoration and praise. Paul called God the God and Father of Christ. Even though Jesus is God, as the incarnate Son He was dependent on God the Father. Thus God the Father was His God. Comfort here means “exhortation,” “encouragement,” “cheer.” Paul used this word, sometimes translated “consolation,” ten times in the following five verses 3–7. This is the purpose of our gathering in the church. When they meet, believers should encourage each other in the faith.
Tribulation means distress or affliction. God comforts us not only to make us comfortable but also to make us comforters. The comfort that God gives to us becomes a gift we can give to others. Our willingness to share it reflects the sincerity of our faith. The NKJV Study Bible
It is our Saviour who says, Let not your heart be troubled. All comforts come from God, and our sweetest comforts are in him. He speaks peace to souls by granting the free remission of sins; and he comforts them by the enlivening influences of the Holy Spirit, and by the rich mercies of his grace. He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and also to give hope and joy under the heaviest sorrows. The favours God bestows on us, are not only to make us cheerful, but also that we may be useful to others. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Isaiah 51:12
“I, even I, am He who comforts you.
Who are you that you should be afraid
Of a man who will die,
And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?
Isaiah 66:13
As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
2 Corinthians 7:6–7 Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
Our Lord and Creator knows us and everything we experience in this life. He sees every trial, disappointment and heartbreak (Psalm 33:18; Job 34:21). He hears our cries of bewilderment, frustration and grief (Psalm 34:17; Isaiah 65:24). And even when He appears silent, our God is always working on our behalf. Through faith in Jesus, we receive forgiveness of sin, which brings us out of spiritual exile and into the household of God forever (John 8:34-36). We also receive the peace of knowing that even though we have tribulation in this world, our Savior has overcome it (John 16:33)!
Today, may we rest in the joyful assurance that even when everything feels like it's falling apart, our Lord of infinite mercy and compassion is moving all the pieces of His plan into place to deliver us.
Because of God's great love for us, He has given us the most beautiful invitation into personal and intimate relationship with Him through His Son. While remaining God, He came to earth as a human like us (Philippians 2:5-8).Jesus confirmed His human embodiment of God when He said, "The one who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9b, CSB). First5
I love the Gospel story about the Samaritan woman at the well. Long story short, here is a woman who carries a myriad of labels—she is a member of the wrong group, she is "less-than," undesirable, a social outcast (not to mention she'd been married several times). And Jesus offers her everlasting water no questions asked. My take on his words to her: "You've lived on scarcity—labels that limit you—and I offer you sufficiency, in water that will never leave you thirsty again."
I love preaching from this text. Which, of course means, that I’m preaching in order to remind myself to believe it (internalize it). To hear it, for myself. Just sayin’.
So, here's the deal: It's not that we "choose" to live wholehearted (emboldened to see sufficiency), so much as we "choose" to give up being afraid (confined by labels).
Charlotte Kasl’s reminder, “Shame is essentially the degree to which you mistake your labels for your identity. If you draw your labels into the core of yourself, you can no longer see the center.”
Our lesson from the story of the woman at the well?
We give up being afraid, by responding to the love of the Beloved—the invitation to sufficiency or "everlasting water."
We hear and taste and touch this love; and our dance is the interplay with that voice. Because now, our hearts are alive.
Let us start with the voice of grace.
Sabbath Moments
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
St. Theresa's Prayer
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