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Wednesday, July 1, 2020 - Join Pastor John for a Daily Devotional

July 1, 2020 by Rev. John Hartman

“Comfort”

The first sentence in Scott Peck’s famous bestseller, “The Road Less Traveled” has some of life’s most profound insights. And all in just three words: “Life is difficult.” The Apostle Paul writes, “We have a God of comfort who comforts us, -- so that we might help others in their comfort, -- from the comfort we have already received.” There seems to be a word that Paul wants to indelibly write in our minds. It is the word – “comfort Who is God? God is the God of Comfort. You may be wondering, “If God is comforting me, then why do I have all these problems?” In other words, “Why don’t they just go away?” And my answer is if that were the case, then people would turn to God only as a way of getting rid of their pain, -- and not because they love him. The bottom line is that God’s love comes to us as strength, encouragement and hope, all within our struggles, -- and the BIGGER the problem, -- the GREATER the comfort. The other thing that I just love is that God makes house calls. It says, God “comforts us in all our troubles” (II Corinthians 1:4). Even in these strange, social distancing times, where it seems like we have to care remotely, it can still happen. Someone once said that it’s sort of like an old western movie where God has a card that says, “Have Grace, Will Travel.” Travel into our hearts, into our hurts, into our loneliness, and into our grief. And when we call on him, God comes to be with us.

Growing up as a boy, I was the envy of my friends. And there was one reason, -- my Dad was a policeman. There were times when we would be playing street hockey in front of our house, and my Dad would come home for dinner, and then he would get a call on his walkie-talkie from police headquarters, and he dashed out of the house and into the police car. And he would turn on the loud siren and those bright blue and red lights on top of the patrol car, and then zoom away. And my friends would be standing there in front of our house with their mouths open. Their dads were accountants, office workers, and business owners, and they would say to me, “Wow! That is so cool! My Dad’s job is so boring compared to yours.” If you called 911, you would get my Dad, and he would come into your crisis, whether it was to: Help an injured driver in a car accident. Resolve a domestic dispute. Or, get that shiny red bicycle stolen out of your driveway back for you (that was actually for me!). Your need was his job description. Friends, we have a Heavenly Father who rushes beside us in our hour of crisis, and he comes to us with all of his lights flashing. God comes along side you and me, to comfort, and then, -- to offer help. As the Church of Jesus Christ, we are called by God to do the same for people whose lives are falling apart, who are also in crisis.

Is God bringing to your mind today someone that you need to go and help? Don’t just say, “IF there is anything I can do, please let me know.” Instead, will you call them on the phone? Will you drop them an e-mail or a card? Will you offer to drop off a meal, or run an errand? Just remember, you’re not the ONLY one holding that person up. Underneath are the everlasting arms of our great and glorious God of comfort.