Psalm 119:76
Let your steadfast love comfort me, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76
I must confess, I am uncomfortable writing about the comfort of God. I think that the root of my awkwardness is the need to admit just how I need God’s comfort every minute of every day.
If I were to venture into an academic, intellectual presentation on God’s comfort in this short blog, I would end up sounding incomplete and ignorant. Because my understanding and knowledge of God’s comfort has come experientially. If you asked me, “Do you understand God’s comfort?” my reply would be, “I know God’s comfort!”
God’s comfort is not a matter of reading a book or listening to a sermon. God’s comfort has been a tangible experience in my 30+ years of following Jesus that is undeniable. I have lived in the comfort of God because no other comfort met my needs in my circumstances.
Jesus is better. God comfort is better. Why? Because I have experienced it and nothing compares to it.
No horizontal comfort comes close to the vertical comfort I receive from my perfect, Heavenly Father.
“Let your steadfast love…” In writing this verse, the psalmist had to have been familiar with the similar pattern of writing found in Psalm 136.
“…comfort me…” The comfort mentioned here is illustrated in verses 23-25 of Psalm 136:
…he who remembered us in our low estate,
…and rescued us from our foes,
…he who gives food to all flesh,
It is also the same comfort found later in the New Testament in 2 Corinthians 1.
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 – 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV.
“…according to your promise…” The comfort is based on God’s promise and on God’s character. God does not comfort us because we deserve comfort or because we earned comfort. God comforts His children because it is His character. He is the God of mercies and all comfort.
“…to your servant.” The psalmist concludes with the reminder that we are God’s servant. We are little children, and we are to approach Him as such. We come needing His grace and mercy. We come to Him as needy children. He is Almighty God, Jesus is King, the Holy Spirit is the Great Counselor, and we are the lowly ambassadors pointing others to the Kingdom of God.
I do seek comfort in the wrong places at times. I do get distracted and need to be reminded as to where my comfort comes from. If you would like to talk more about where sincere hope is found, I would encourage you to consider reaching out to someone on the Burke Care Team. They would love to hear your story and share God’s comfort with you.
Father God, You are the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction. Keep our eyes on Jesus in our suffering. Make us not get lost in our suffering and lose sight of what You are doing in our lives. You are the great healer and redeemer. Redeem our lives for Your glory and our good. Amen.
Application Questions:
Where do I go for comfort other than God?
What keeps me from going to God in my suffering?
How can I begin to be more intentional to keep my focus on the only One who can provide true comfort?
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