So many in need of comfort. . . .

  

Before going to bed last night, I watched the news and still feel heavy at what has happened. The extreme flash flooding in Texas has taken more than 100 lives. Twenty-seven of those were young girls at a Christian camp. One of the search and rescue people reported finding a child’s Bible and seeing its underlined verses and notes. He told how this broke his heart and he sobbed for a long time. 

Two girls and their grandparents died. A mom and dad are grieving the loss of two generations. I don’t know any of these people, but am feeling a slice of their horrible pain. Today brings sorrow and tears and prayers. How can the survivors and families of this tragedy be comforted?

This is only one news event, so I looked for statistics and found that approximately 150,000 people die each day worldwide. This translates to roughly 1.78 deaths per second, 107 deaths per minute, and 6,390 deaths per hour. Age-related causes account for about two-thirds of these deaths, with heart disease and cancer at the top of the list. Accidents come next and the statistics go on without saying anything about flash floods, not that this omission is a comfort.

The Bible gives me what I already know, not from loss like what is happening due to storms like TX and the one that hit NC, but from personal pain from other situations. God says:

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

These verses are my prayers for those who survive and grieve. Yet God also speaks about those who experience the horror and do not survive. May these thoughts comfort broken hearts as survivors think of what their loved ones experienced at the end of their lives. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)

A few years ago my husband was deathly ill. He survived, yet tells of thinking, “Lord, here I come” — not in fear but in peace. This speaks to me too. The day will come when each person walks through that valley and the Spirit of God says His presence holds our hands. That is our comfort and will be the comfort of those who remain and in whom the Spirit dwells.

What about those not in relationship with Christ through faith? God is not mean. He says He is near to the brokenhearted. He blesses those who mourn. We have no affirmation about the eternal destiny of each of those who die, but we do know that those who cry out to Him in the last moments of their lives could hear Him say, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Such is the grace of God.

PRAY: Jesus, even as a faraway bystander, I feel grief. The pictures on the news bring viewers closer to the people who are gone and those who sob on the sidelines. Some of my friends will not watch the news, yet I don’t want to protect my heart with ignorance of the suffering outside of my little world. Help me pray and hold those whose hearts are broken before Your throne of mercy and grace. May You be near to them and bind up wounds that are beyond all other comforts. You alone know what to do. 

Fear is not from God

Some who consider themselves Christian are in constant turmoil about matters of faith. For example, the author of “God is Enough: Inspiring Words of Christian Affirmation for Every Day of the Year” assumes that all Christians struggle to believe God and are not “comfortable” in their religious life. After some research and a great deal of Bible study, I’ve come to the conclusion that if that is true, then the most important ingredient missing is relationship. Jesus said:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

Whether Jesus is speaking or not, they are not listening to Him and therefore not experiencing the life that comes from His lips to their hearts.

I cannot know what others are hearing. I only know that God reveals to me, through His Word, the thoughts and intents of my heart. Sometimes this revelation is instant, before any choice is made. Sometimes I make the wrong choice and hear Him speak after that to show me my error and need to confess the sin of paying attention to the world, the flesh, and/or the devil. Either way, the revealing comes from Him. It might be through reading the Word, hearing it preached, or the Holy Spirit bringing it to my memory. Again, either way brings forgiveness and cleansing… and the freedom of knowing what He told me is true. It may have been “don’t do that” or “you did that - agree with Me and repent” but He does His saving work through His Word.

This week I was told of someone who believes in Jesus but is in constant anxiety and fear. This flies in the face of how many times “do not fear” is repeated in Scripture. It might as well say “do not sin” because the NT says: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Since fear is not from God, it is not for me or any of His people to accept. Instead, His power, love and spiritual self-control are ours when we confess we have that sin of fear and He cleanses us. (1 John 1:9)

I’ve no idea what makes others anxious but I get that way when I think I have to do something that is too difficult (fear of failure), or when I look at things I can see — which may or may not reflect what God is doing (lack of faith). The Bible lists a few more sources of fear and some hints for a solution as well as the need to confess it as sin.

Fear of Exposure: And (Adam) said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10)
Lacking Love: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)
Death: Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14–15)
Trusting Self over God: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)
Failure: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
Lacking Faith: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

God promises to take care of me. Not believing He will and letting fear dominate flies in the face of this promise and is an insult to His Word, the very Word that gives me life. It is better to say: “I am fearful and need help” than to think that my fear is so great that even God cannot remove it.

PRAY: Healthy fear? Maybe an approaching lion or another danger to avoid, but it grieves me to see fear govern lives instead of the promises You make and the power of Your presence. Fill me with Your peace and set free anyone who is in bondage to fear, regardless of the cause — for You are the cure!

Power, not fear . . .

 

READ John 11-16

An Internet search for ‘greatest fears’ surprised me; most of the hits did not mention fear of dying. Is this denial? No one wants to talk about being terminal. The fear seems to be there  and governing how we deal with life.

The Bible says: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, (Jesus) himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews 2:14–15)

Fear is a slave that makes us do odd things. We’ve seen it during this pandemic and in less horrors, like jumping up on a table at the sight of a mouse. In contrast, the Word of God says that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7) This means that God’s Spirit gives us incredible assurance:

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

Knowing that death no longer has power over me is integral to the Gospel — Jesus died that I might live forever! Before He died and rose again, Jesus showed His power over death by raising a widow’s son from his coffin and raising Lazarus from the dead. He told this man’s sister:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die . . . .” (John 11:25–26)

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (11:38–44)

After this, some believed in Him, but some were afraid He would cause them loss of political power so plotted His death — blind to His power over death. But Mary wasn’t. She anointed Him with expensive perfume in preparation of his dying. The people rejoiced too, for a while.

Jesus talked about death in a way that challenges all fears, not about physical dying as much as death to our sinful way of life:

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life . . . . Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. (12: 23–25; 44–46)

He showed what that life would be like when He washed His disciples’ feet and told them to love one another and that by that love “all people will know that you are My disciples.” He knew Peter would fail. He knows we are not perfect. Living for Him is about Him, not our ratings. He assures that, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (14:13–14)

He also promised the Holy Spirit’s help to live for Him and to give us His love. Being loved by God is enough to overcome whatever I might fear. It enables me to love Him and “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.” He is my vine, my source, my ability to be fruitful and not fail in life. He grants all that is needed — including no fear of death. The world may hate me, but Jesus promised peace in tribulation because He has also overcome the world. No fear, no fear!

I almost burst with joy at the wonder of this freedom from fear. Nothing can harm me unless the will of God plans to use it to shape me. Whatever I do, even the mistakes I make, cannot destroy the power of Christ in me, or rob me of the love of God through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Bless the Lord, oh my soul! Amen.

 

Needing some comfort?

 

With the deaths of my sister and her grandson, and the deaths of friends from Covid, I’ve prayed much this year that God would comfort His people. Yet in our human sinfulness, we sometimes turn to other sources. We look for people to do it, or distract ourselves with activities like shopping, baking, even sleep, or try everything from music to chemicals and drugs to calm ourselves instead of turning to the One who has great compassion on His people. As David said, the Lord’s presence has great value, even in the worst discomfort of all — the threat of death:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

He and others who wrote the psalms knew that when they needed His comfort God could bring them strength. They said things like this:

Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. (Psalm 86:17)

When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord. (Psalm 119:52)

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. (Psalm 131:1–2)

For the Lord will vindicate his people andhave compassion on his servants. (Psalm 135:14)

All these verses use the word “to COMFORT” which means “to alleviate sorrow or distress; give emotional strength to” and describes what many of us need these days — a touch from our Almighty God to give us “gladness for sorrow” and “consolation” in our troubles and confusion.

In the NT, people comfort people yet the greatest source is God whom we bless:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3–7)

This comfort from God not only does its job but gives purpose to itself and to the suffering it alleviates. Because of both experiences, I can have compassion on others who suffer. When I get sick, I feel for others who are sick. When I struggle with problems, I can more easily relate to others who struggle. When I suffer loss, I have greater empathy for others who are grieving. Not only that, whatever God uses to comfort me in those experiences I can use to bless and comfort others.

When my father died, many people tried to comfort me but most of what they said or did fell short. Then an obviously excited young woman bounced up and said, “I know this may sound a little strange, but I am so happy for your dad.” That was comfort! She took my mind off ‘poor me’ and put it on the joy in heaven that my father was experiencing. God bless her. That same thought carries me through grief and it does the same for others whose loved ones have gone into the presence of the Lord.

God comforts the downcast, sends encouraging words and people to us, and gives us whatever we need to alleviate our pain and build us up in truth and in a positive sense that His will is being done and it is right. In trials, the enemy will whisper, ‘God does not love you . . . look what is happening’ but the Spirit of God says just the opposite. For this reason, Jesus called Him The Comforter.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Using Scripture to gaze at the character of the Lord helps me to realize that no matter what is happening, He is with me, He knows how I feel, and He will never stop loving me or caring about my situation, even using it for good — to transform me into the likeness of His Son. His goals give life’s sorrows a great purpose and that purpose gives me great comfort!