The Mourner's Comforter: February 2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

God of all comfort

When others suffer and we are able to give help and comfort, we learn more about "the God of all comfort." We are able to comfort "with the comfort with which He comforts us."

Mary Helen Purcell (7/30/1926-2/23/2010) lived with us for 11 years. Her attitudes toward her own blindness opened our eyes to much good, including the importance of "a place for everything and everything in its place." Her other medical needs taught us how quickly wheelchair, oxygen machine, and other apparatus can become part of home routine.

Mary Helen's heart ran its course. As Martin Luther wrote, "The body they may kill; God's truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever." They are not only the evils expressed through human or warring threats, but also through illness, frailty, and suffering.

"His kingdom is forever": God gives an eternal, living hope through His Son, the Redeemer of the world, Jesus. Eternal life is for those who by faith trust Him. And, those who trust Him will meet in heaven. The knowledge of these truths comforts all who believe.

Luke 4: 16-21

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up : and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read....

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (italics added for Isaiah 61: 1-3 text).

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

God of all comfort

Related articles

Hometown of Jesus