Counting the Stars – Bonikowsky Family
  • Count the stars!
  • Books
  • Family
    • Andy & Mimi
    • Our kids
    • Sending church
    • Mission agency
  • Ministries
    • Postcard projects >
      • 2024 postcard project
      • 2023 postcard project
      • 2022 postcard project
      • 2020 postcard project
      • Previous postcards
      • Previous projects
    • Living Hope Baptist Church
    • Missionary Teen Retreats
    • Aierdi farmhouse
    • Gospel literature/printing
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • The Gospel

Comfort

9/2/2014

0 Comments

 
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. . . . The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever. . . . (Isaiah 40:1,8)

The best comforter in all the world is God.

He made us and understands exactly how our minds are put together. He is fully aware of what goes on in the heart of the person who is discouraged and He knows the exact way to lift him out of his depressed thoughts. Whether we take the advice or not depends on our faith and desire, but if we truly want to rise above the circumstances that knocked us down, we need to listen and trust and obey.

How then does the Lord comfort His people? One answer can be found in Isaiah's fortieth chapter.

It begins with, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people..."

The words that follow are one of the grandest and most majestic theological dissertations of Scripture. Maybe this kind of therapy comes as a surprise to us. Is theology the medication we need in times of pain and depression?

Apparently so. It's what our heavenly Father chose.

Notice some of the key elements in the passage. They make a powerful combination, just right for the physically, emotionally, or spiritually hurting. They are a medicine that can soothe the drooping soul, turn it around, and make it soar into realms of praise.

First God exalts His Word. "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever." (8) He sets it far above any human being or earthly solution. Nobody else, anywhere, can claim to be the answer to the suffering of a sin infected race. The divine Word is man's only hope for hope.

Then, the bulk of the chapter is given over to one argument, to which the rest of the Bible agrees wholeheartedly: The infinite superiority of the Creator over all creation allows Him to offer real comfort.

Because of His massive strength He can deal gently with His people while simultaneously managing oceans, earth, and heavens. The totality of nations, both small and huge, are before Him as insignificant as the fine dust on a vender's scale. It is shameful to even mention His living personality in comparison with the dumb idols of pagan cultures. The dizzying array of heavenly bodies, in its mind boggling expanse, is as easy for Him to control as the sliding of a curtain in a tent. And finally, every object of the universe, even those outside our knowledge, He has personally given a name.

Here God stops.

He has made His point and there is absolutely no reason to go further.

It's at this moment, with a seemingly incredulous voice, that the Almighty basically asks, "How can you possibly say I don't see you and can't help you? Such thinking is preposterous!"

Look to me. Consider who I am. Then wait on me.

You will mount up with wings as an eagle.

True comfort comes when the human heart hears and understands and believes in the greatness of God.

Dear Father, how easily I look at big obstacles, big adversaries, big problems, and feel overwhelmed. I forget to see how You completely dwarf them with Your infinite being. Forgive me, help me fix my eyes on You, and I will need no other comfort. Amen.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Humorous stories from 50 years on the mission field!

    Categories

    All
    For Servants Only
    Just A Minute
    Just A Second
    Thoughts On Leadership
    Thoughts On Thinking

    Archives

    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    March 2022
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    February 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    RSS Feed