Understanding Comfort

August 14

Comfort … with the comfort we ourselves have received.

243

2 Corinthians 1:4

Danny was a commercial construction contractor. His firm built low-rise struc-

tures in and around the downtown area. He and his wife, Susan, their three

children, Ammie, Ben, and Chris, lived in the suburbs.

This morning, Danny was running a bit late, but that was okay because

it was Saturday, and he would be the only one at the jobsite anyway. He and

Susan had stayed up late to watch It’s a Wonderful Life last night, Susan gig-

gling at George and Mary’s whirlwind romance, teasing Danny and saying, “If

you treated me the way George treats Mary, we’d never have a bad day.” Susan

would remember, with heart-wrenching clarity, her comment in the days to

come.

As Danny jumped in his truck, Susan waved good-bye through the side

door. Neither of them saw Chris playing behind his father’s truck, and in one

horrifying moment, Danny put the truck in reverse and backed out of the

garage, running over his five-year-old son, killing him instantly.

In the weeks that followed, they were surrounded by friends and family

who tried to comfort them. But no comfort could be found. Danny couldn’t

sleep; Susan blamed herself and Danny for the loss of her son.

The blame would shift from themselves to God and back over the next

two years. Their faith would ultimately hold them together, and grief counsel-

ing would bring a measure of healing. But not before the enemy had his way

for awhile.

h

What do we do when tragedy of this magnitude invades our lives? It seems

so unfair, and the anger over a life taken long before its time runs deep. “How

could a loving God allow something like this to happen?”

We say, “Bad things happen to good people.” And this is true but woefully

inadequate for these situations.

The truth is bad things do happen, and sometimes they happen to us

instead of somebody else. And we need the understanding comfort only God

and those who have lost a child can bring. If you are bearing this grief, reach

out. If you have lived through this nightmare, comfort those whose pain is still

raw.

Prayer

“My life is Yours, Lord. But today that doesn’t

help. Show me how to grieve this unspeakable loss.

Bring healing to my broken heart. Amen.”

 With Jesus

August 13

When they saw the courage of Peter and John … they took note that

these men had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13

Dewey held up his hand, asking for silence. “I understand your doubt, folks.

But”—he paused for emphasis—“if we fail to take this stand, our children and

their children will pay the price of our indifference.”

“What makes you so sure they won’t rule against us anyway?” challenged

one dissenter. “I, for one, am not in favor of rocking the boat. They’ll just use

this as a platform to build a stronger case against us!” the man argued. He

was alluding to city council’s removal of all God-related materials from public

buildings and property over the last year. Tonight’s meeting had been called

because council was now legislating new ordinance against open-air gatherings

of a religious nature.

“Look, I hear you,” Dewey acknowledged. “But I believe you’re dead wrong.

It’s that very attitude that allowed God to be removed from our schools. We

did nothing to stand up for the free exercise of our religious rights the Consti-

tution gives us. We must stand now.”

The man sat back down, red-faced and fuming.

Dewey continued, “Sitting still and hoping the enemy retreats is the equiv-

alent of saying, ‘Go ahead, take all my rights.’”

He finished with, “Look, if we believe Jesus is Who He says He is, then

it’s our responsibility to take the same action He would take if He were here.”

h

Would a stranger know we’ve been anywhere near Jesus? Or do we, instead,

blend in with the world through our words and actions?

As Christians, there ought to be a visible difference, something tangible

that causes others to take notice when they see us, something that causes them

to ask what that difference is. The only way others will know that we have been

with Jesus is by the giving over of our right to ourselves and into the control of

the Holy Spirit, by dying to self so Christ can shine through.

Peter and John displayed a countenance of courage after the Holy Spirit’s

presence was evident in their lives. That same Spirit wants to grow us into the

likeness of Christ.

Prayer

“Help me put to death anything that would keep

me from looking like You, Lord Jesus. Amen.”

 Will You?

August 12

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well

fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

James 2:16

Quinn had lost his job and hadn’t been able to find suitable employment in

over four months. They had used Charlotte’s most recent paycheck to keep

the electric and gas on, but their mortgage, as well as a signature loan, was two

months delinquent. The slumping economy and Quinn’s disability had only

added to their struggle. This morning found them pouring out their hearts to

God, asking for divine intervention.

Around noon, Charlotte received a call from a couple in their congrega-

tion. They felt God leading them to share some food with them. “How much

room do you have in your freezer?” came the question.

An hour later, the credit union called. Quinn assumed they were notifying

him of collection proceedings and prayed for strength to deal with this situ-

ation. However, when he got on the line, the account manager said, “Mr. R,

an anonymous provider has stopped by our office this morning and paid your

mortgage accounts current. They have asked we not divulge their identity, but

that we inform you so you can best use the finances you have available.” Quinn

was numb with wonder as he hung up the phone. It took a full minute before

he was able to relate the nature of the call to Charlotte.

h

At a time when society trusts their 401(k) or stock portfolio to provide for

tomorrow, God is asking us to trust Him and not yield to the temptation to

lean on ourselves for the future.

Giving God permission to reposition His money through us is not an easy

thing to do. It requires faith that He truly is a debtor to no man.

Today’s text is clear; we are not to stand idly by and give lip service to

situations that demand attention. Giving out of our abundance requires an act

of will. Will you?

Prayer

“Lord, help me to bare the essence of Your love. Help

me hang on loosely to the things You have given

me. May I never see a brother in need and fail to do

everything I can to meet it. In Jesus’ Name, amen. “

 What Do You See?

August 11

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He

who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by

name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of

them is missing.

Isaiah 40:26

Watching the night sky, they were enjoying one of their favorite pastimes:

stargazing. Tonight the whole family was there. The kids were lying in the

middle of the hood of the car, Mom and Dad on the sides, all of them bundled

in blankets, their heads cushioned by pillows. They were looking for meteors.

Terry loved the stars. He always felt close to God when surveying the wonders

of the universe. Tonight and tomorrow night, August 11 and 12, were the peak

nights to observe the Purseid meteor shower.

They had driven up on Coe Hill in the wee hours of the morning, their

hearts building with anticipation and excitement to witness hundreds of bril-

liant green and white vapor trails streaking across the sky as the little pieces of

dust lit up the atmosphere!

It began around 4:00 a.m. with just a few at a time and then built to what

seemed like hundreds coming in from every direction! They were privileged

to see one of the most awesome displays of fireworks God had ever provided!

All for the meager price of a couple hours of sleep. It was a night they would

cherish and speak of often.

h

How is it that some people look at the sky and see God while others see only

stars?

As Terry lay there, he was reminded of the Apollo 11 moon landing in July

1969 as Neil Armstrong spoke those immortal words: “One small step for man.

One giant leap for mankind.” Many people aren’t aware of what Buzz Aldrin

was doing; he was taking communion and reading Scripture, but was unable to

broadcast it because of a legal battle NASA was in at the time.

The world touted man’s accomplishment; Aldrin silently proclaimed the

power of God.

Prayer

“Father of the heavens, I am awed by Your mighty power.

I don’t know the names of all the people in my town, yet

You know my name and the name of every star. How

immeasurable is Your glory! Thank You for Creation! Amen.”

 Payment on Demand

August 10

You fool. This very night your life will be demanded from you.

Luke 12:20

Luke’s credit was tanked. Unable to get the financial assistance he needed from

a legitimate lending institution, Luke decided to borrow the money from a

shady source. Now the note was due. But Luke didn’t have the money. He’d

made the initial investment he’d borrowed the cash for; he’d even made a small

profit. But Luke had gotten foolish.

Having discovered online poker, Luke began playing regularly. It’s no big

deal, he told himself. I’m just having a little fun.

After success in a few online matches, Luke decided to multiply his hold-

ings by entering a high-stakes game. So, taking his winnings, along with the

balance of his borrowed investment, Luke did just that.

But things hadn’t gone his way; he’d lost it all. And now he was in trouble.

The financer was demanding payment.

Nervously, he pleaded with the financer to give him more time to come

up with the money, a grace period of sorts, he’d called it. The financer finally

decided Luke wasn’t worth the risk and had two of his associates teach Luke

a lesson. The problem was they got carried away, and Luke died two days later

as a result of his injuries.

h

Today’s text reveals there is a payment coming due for each of us. Those who

foolishly choose to ignore the demand will suffer for eternity.

We have the ability to ask Jesus Christ to pay the due penalty or put it off

right up until the moment we die. After that, all bets are off.

Scripture says we are but a vapor, and then we are gone. We do not know

the time of God’s demand on our life.

We can do as Luke did, putting off life’s most crucial decision until it’s

too late, or we can turn to the One who has the ability to wipe our slate clean,

leaving the balance paid in full. The choice is ours alone.

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, I want and need Your sacrifice to

cover my sin. Cleanse me now with the payment

that only Your blood can cover. Amen.”

 Deeply Within

August 9

I have hidden your word in my heart.

Psalm 119:11

“Okay, now repeat after me,” Ms. B instructed her Sunday school class. “You

did not choose me …”

“You did not choose me … ” the children echoed.

“But I chose you … ” Ms. B smiled as she saw the look of determination on

one young boy’s face.

“But I chose you … ” He was squinting his eyes to help focus.

“And appointed you … ” It was difficult to hold her laughter as she looked

from face to face.

“And appointed you … ” The volume was increasing. You could see their

hearts were completely given to this memorization exercise.

“To go and bear fruit.” She almost whispered it to see their response.

“To go and bear fruit.” Giggling could be heard as they followed suit and

whispered their responsive statement.

“Can anyone tell me what fruit Jesus is talking about?” Ms. B asked.

“Bananas!” one child hollered.

“Apples!” came another. Fruits of every kind were being hollered out.

Finally, Ms. B, laughing and smiling, held up her hand and called for

silence. “Those are all fruits and good answers,” she said, smiling brightly. “But

the fruit Jesus is talking about in this verse is about how we live our lives and

how other people know we belong to Jesus because of how we act” (Galatians

5:22).

h

There are times each day that we could benefit from God’s words. They are

meant to bring us strength, joy, and purpose.

Scripture memorization is essential to our spiritual well-being. Each verse

we commit to memory can comfort us in times of trouble and sorrow, be used

to fend off attacks in times of temptation, and enrich our walk with God, but

only if they have been planted deeply within. If they are not there to begin

with, we cannot recall them when we want or need to.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, the words He memorized as

a young boy were used to counter the attacks of Satan. Jesus knew He needed

His Father’s words to resist the devil. Do we need more reason than this?

Prayer

“Lord, help me begin to hide Your Word deep in my

heart, so it will be there when I not only need it, but

when I want to meditate on it. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 It’s the Filling That Matters

August 8

Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil

heart.

Proverbs 26:23

Five feet nine inches tall, long auburn hair, and deep green eyes, she was stun-

ning! Clark almost tripped as he turned to get a second look at the woman

he’d just walked past. “Wow! I’d love to get to know her,” he said, nudging his

buddy, Brad.

“No, you wouldn’t,” came Brad’s unexpected reply. “She’s a snob, Clark,”

he said.

“Aw, you’re just jealous,” he quipped.

“Let me tell you a true story, Clark,” Brad said and proceeded. “Every-

where this woman goes, she commands attention. Everyone who sees her jock-

eys to meet her and to be seen with her. Yet few ever get the chance. Those who

do usually regret ever wasting time trying.” Looking to see if he was making

any impression, he continued. “My father was present on one occasion when

a young man about her age approached her at a dinner party. He shyly asked

her to have a drink with him in the restaurant bar. Dad said the woman briefly

looked at him and with disdain in her voice, said, ‘It would be a tremendous

waste of my time, and I would die before I would be seen with the likes of you.’

And with that, she turned her attention back to her sycophant admirers. Clark,

I’m telling you, she’s as vile on the inside as she is beautiful on the outside.”

h

Created in God’s image, there are, regrettably, times we don’t resemble Him

in the slightest. Our exterior may be bright and shiny, but our soul can be

riddled with poison, leaching out into our surroundings, polluting everything

it touches.

It isn’t enough to look the part of a Christian. We must share similarities

with our Creator. And the similarities must penetrate deeper than the surface

of our existence. God, unlike us, is concerned with the heart. He barely slows

down to see how we look on the outside.

What people see when they meet us is important, because Who we repre-

sent can be seen in our attitude. But the shell is not as important as the filling.

Prayer

“Make me beautiful on the inside, Lord. And help me look

past other’s shell to find the goodness within. Amen.”