Focus: God of All Comfort

Text: 2Cor.1:3

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the GOD OF ALL COMFORT."

One beautiful thing about our God is that He is our Everything. We find in Him all we need in life. He is our life. He is our peace. He is our hope. He is our beauty and glory. He is our redeemer and lifter. He is our Shepherd. He is our Father. He is our Light. He is our song. He is our salvation. He is our righteousness. He is our strength. He is our rock. He is our joy.

Here in our text, Paul presents Him as "the Father of mercies and the God of ALL comfort." That is comfort of all sorts and comfort in every form of it. It is comfort at all levels and in all dimensions of human experience. In our God we breathe a sigh of relief.

The Spirit of God is the indwelling Comforter. He comforts us from within. He groans with us and cheers us up in our low moments. Luke reports that the early church was "walking in the comfort of the Holy Spirit" (Act.9:31).

The psalmist says, "Thou shalt… comfort me on every side" (Ps.71:21). Isaiah declares, "For the LORD shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Isa.51:3).

Jeremiah tells the survivors, "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow" (Jer.31:13).

In the home of Mary and Martha, the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated His heart of love when He wept in the presence of the people for the death of Lazarus. After sorrowing with them, He then proceeded to the cemetery to arrest the situation and stop the process of disintegration. Indeed He called Lazarus back to life from the dead. He didn't only weep with them, He also whooped death for them. He gave them His tears of love and a taste of His power. Yes, we serve the God of ALL comfort. He knows what your heart needs. He understands the yearning of your soul and knows what to do about your case. He will give you the right words of comfort and show you acts of kindness.

I pray you, receive the comfort of the Holy Spirit! Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter