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GOD OF ALL COMFORT (I)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 3
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Hebrews 4:15-16
 
“The Father of mercies …”
 
GOD OF ALL COMFORT (I)
 
Christians live in a sin-filled world that hates Christ. Thus, the world will seek to persecute Christians and undermine their testimony for Christ. In these difficult times, we may become discouraged. What is our comfort in these times of great despair?
 
Paul also went through great suffering for the sake of Christ and His gospel. We can read of his troubles in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. How did Paul respond to these difficulties? He did not wallow in self-pity, nor did he try to comfort himself in the temporal things of this world. Neither did he seek to fulfil fleshly lusts. In his time of despair, he turned to the sole source of comfort in this life – the God of all comfort.
 
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, we see two persons of the Godhead comforting the saints. The first is the Heavenly Father, “the Father of mercies” (v 3). Mercy refers to how the Father does not reward us according to our iniquities (Ps 103:10). This term is written in the plural to express the richness, and fullness of God’s mercy in sparing us from eternal condemnation. Second, we have Christ, our Mediator, Substitute, Atonement and Advocate. His completed work on the cross of Calvary assures us that our salvation is secured in Him. As our Great High Priest, He is sympathetic to our pains and distresses (Heb 4:15-16).
 
The main message of today’s passage is aptly expressed in the answer to the Heidelberg Catechism Question 1 - “What is thy only comfort in life and death? That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.” Meditate on this.
 
THOUGHT: God the Father, Christ and His Word are my sole comforts in distress.
PRAYER: Father, I thank Thee that I can come boldly to Thy throne of grace.

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