Comfort

If you're friends with me on facebook or you follow me on twitter, you saw this excerpt in my status this morning:

It is as ordinary for the righteous to be comforted as it is for the day to dawn. Wait for the light; it will surely come.

It's from Beside Still Waters, a collection of writings from Charles Spurgeon, edited and put into updated language by Roy Clarke.

As I've been thinking on this during the day, I've been reminded of the first couple of sermons from the current preaching series at TFC, Behold Your God.

How does God comfort his people in Isaiah 40? He basically awes them with himself. He says, "Look at me! Look at who I am! This will comfort you!"

Have you been needing comfort lately? Maybe your husband has been out of work for months. Or your own job is in jeopardy. Maybe you have a child who has wandered from you, or you've recently lost a close family member. Maybe you're dealing with health issues or a strained relationship. Maybe you are lonely.

We women--especially those of us with families--have lots of places to look for comfort. Are you looking to your husband for comfort? Your kids? Are you looking to your friends or coworkers? Or maybe your boyfriend? Is it food? Or television, or movies, or games, or books, or going out?

There is only one who will bring you true and lasting comfort. It is God. And that is why it is "ordinary" for a righteous person to be comforted. A righteous person has one gaze: the gaze at God.

It is the gaze that brings comfort.

"Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous" (Psalm 112:4).


p.s. Don't forget we started reading What's the Difference? yesterday. Join us.