The Mighty God of Comfort

We worship a God of comfort.
We worship a God of might.
Our God is a mighty God of comfort!

The stark reality is that, apart from God, we are enslaved to our sinful nature. We do not have the ability within ourselves to break free from our prison that separates us from our Creator. But wait, there is good news. God's plan has always been to step in and save us for himself; to set us free to live a life of abundance, purpose, and power.

"Look, Yahweh will come with might and power.... Like a shepherd he will come to tend his flock." (see Isaiah 40.10,11)

With might and power . . . like a shepherd!

Hold these images together. God is not only transcendent (above and beyond the universe he created), he is immanently close, dwelling among his people, caring for his flock. The scripture not only testifies to God's power and strength, but of his mercy and comfort also. He is a mighty God of comfort.

As children of God, we have been given the privilege to experience life and ministry with others in a similar manner. We can live in the power of God's strength and overflow with his mercy.

Many of us, however, focus on one attribute more than the other - possibly to the exclusion of the other. Some of us express gifts of mercy and grace. We give. We serve. We help out. We wear ourselves out! :-)

Others of us exert power and influence. We lead. We direct. We make things happen. We make ulcers happen! :-)

Don't forget that God is a mighty God of comfort. His strength can be ours. In fact, it is ours. Paul when writing Timothy reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power (1 Tim 1.7). His mercy can be ours as well (2 Cor 1.3,4).

Let's hold these truths in tandem so that we might experience anew the might and comfort of God in our lives.