Comfort ye My people

 “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40.1-2).

 

In the Law and in our natural conscience we can find no lasting comfort with regard to our sin. So long as law and conscience rule our thoughts about our sin, we will be held in bondage through our fear of death. If God were to leave us in that condition, we could find no fault in Him. The charges against us are true; the guilt is real; the fear of death is legitimate.

 

But God commands His messengers to bring to His sinful people a word of comfort concerning their sin. How astonishing! The God against whom we have sinned orders a word of comfort be sent to us regarding that sin! But such is the wonder of the gospel - it turns all our natural thinking on its head.  When we would naturally expect a word of condemnation, God sends a word of justification. When we would expect a word of rejection, God sends a word of reconciliation. When we would expect a word of banishment, God sends the word to come home.

 

It is a wonder that God would send such words to us. It is a greater wonder still that we are so reluctant to receive them just as they are given. God sends His word of abounding grace, but we are quick to encompass it with restrictions. We quite naturally think that God is extremely offended and incredibly demanding in His requirements for reconciliation. And on that point we are correct. But that does not put any restriction on His words of comfort, for His words of comfort do not come to us saying, “Your sin is not that bad; I have lowered my standards; I have reduced your required payment.”  The word of comfort is, “Your sin is great, and the price is high, but it has been paid in full. There was a very difficult service to complete, but it has been done. It is finished!”

                                        

Pastor Joe Terrell (from his last bulletin)


NOTE: Our dear friend, brother and faithful preacher of the gospel of Christ, Pastor Joe Terrell departed this life on April 22. Brother Joe faithfully pastored the Community Grace Church in Rock Valley, Iowa for 37 years. He is now forever in the eternal presence of the Lord beholding His face and worshipping Him forever. Blessed are those who die in the Lord (Rev. 14:13). The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord (Job. 1:21). We pray for comfort for Joe’s family and the church family there too!

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