To Comfort All Who Mourn

(Isaiah 61:2)

People facing trials need to feel comforted. A friend facing the impending death of her husband was at the grocery store when I dropped of a prescription at their pharmacy. When I saw her, I called her name and almost ran to her. We hugged, She then told me what had transpired in the previous two days in regard to her spouse's terminal illness.

All I could do was listen. She spoke of the finances, of the presence of a hospital bed for him, of her son’s new job and how gracious his employers were. As we parted, she said she hoped to be at church on Sunday. I responded with “I hope so.” Then she told me of another woman in our church who attends the early service and then goes to sit with this lady's husband so she can get to church.

Hearing all this had made me see things from a slightly different perspective and has deepened my respect for the ones who comfort people in this way. Our neighbor was the recipient of such comfort when his wife was on hospice. That lady worshiped God on Saturdays. So she was available to sit with those in the program's care so their spouses could worship with others.

Hearing of these saints has given me comfort.

The Lord's Favor

(Luke 4: 16-21)
(Isaiah 61: 1-2)

God favored the Hebrew people by sending His Son to walk among them, heal them, and teach them. While on earth Jesus showed compassion to those who He met as well as those who followed Him.

When we read God’s Word, we see His favor extended to the children of Israel as they escape from Egypt. He did the same for Paul on the Damascus road. What about the vision our Father gave John on the island of Patmos?

Do we see God’s favor extended to us today? Yes, we do. Here's a personal example.

A relative recently entrusted me with her house keys while she was a patient in an extended care hospital. She asked me to get three sets of two keys each for myself and two others who she asked to check on things for her. I went to the hardware store near where we live to complete this task. When I told the gentleman what I thought I needed, he looked at the two keys and told me they were two of the same key.

I wasn’t sure. He measured them and told me they measured the same. I thanked the man, telling him I'd be back later after I tested them in her door. I was to meet one of the other women out at our relative’s home at noon.

As I worked with the keys in the front door, I realized the gentleman had told me the truth. I gave thanks to God for that man’s honesty. I also thanked the Lord for placing him on duty at the exact time I needed the help. I marveled that the employee hadn't done as I asked in order to collect more money.

God guided me to that place at that time for a particular reason. I consider His action a sign of God’s favor to me.

Helplessness and Miracles

As children of God, we sometimes feel helpless in the face of a loved one’s serious illness, or the impending death of someone close. We pray for the need and for those close to the person. We ask others to pray, begging God for another of his miracles.

Several people in our church face hard challenges as they go through each day. A couple of senior citizen ladies take care of their invalid sons. A woman in her mid '50 has been fighting Cancer for a year and a half, and is on her at least her third round of chemotherapy. Another woman faces her son's Cancer, her daughter-in- law's illness, and her husband's illness. If it weren't for the Lord,these people would feel hopeless as well as helpless.

The helplessness we feel is God telling us to let Him have the situation so he can handle the problem per His plan. In studying my Sunday School lesson recently, I found a statement telling us God performs miracles as a way to point others to Himself. But sometimes we ask for them from Him,
expecting that action to be the end of the story.

God is able to tend to any of our needs, no matter how large they may seem. That’s His job. He chooses to work with us and through us and our needs to bring glory to Himself.

Praying

2 Chronicles 7: 11-14

God told Solomon the people—His people should pray. Webster’s New World Dictionary shows two meanings for this word. 1) an act of talking to God in worship. And 2) to beg or ask for something seriously. (The second definition is usually thought of as a legal definition.)

We have times when the only person who can remedy a condition is our heavenly Father. He listens without judging as we present our requests. When the needs seem greater, He allows us to fervently lift them—our own as well as others—to Him.

Our God extends this privilege out of His grace and mercy. He created us and wants those who believe in Him to come to the throne and lay their cares down, leaving them with Him.

Seeking His Face

2 Chronicles 7:11-14

As God spoke to Solomon after the completion of the temple, The Lord gave certain guidelines or conditions for His people to follow when they would find themselves up against harsh times. One of these was to ‘seek my face.’ Let’s explore this idea and see where it leads.

As children, a generation of us whiled away summer evenings playing Hide and Seek. Those living in my neighborhood stayed outside every night until we could no longer see while playing it. One person,called “it”, would cover their eyes and count slowly to one hundred. The rest of the kids would scamper away, looking for a place to hide. As I remember, the person found last would be “it” for the next round.

As children of God, when we pray we have to search for His face. Our needs can seem so great we have to concentrate on who He is and His attributes before we begin to lay our requests before Him. Given the economic picture of our world–bank crises, insurance companies' messes, the automotive industry situation and our personal issues–health concerns, family situations, relational circumstances, these are times we should pray before we make decisions. But we might want to think on who God is and what He is like before we open our hearts.

Humbling Ourselves

2 Chronicles 7: 11-14
When Solomon completed the temple, God spoke to him. He told his servant of times of hardship and drought- a precursor to famine. The Lord also told of the possibility of locusts or plagues coming onto the land. But, He also told Solomon and, by extension, us how the land can be healed.

The first point God makes is that he is talking about His children, not the heathen or the vile people of the neighboring areas. If my people, who are called by my name. . .. Can it get any clearer?

He then lays out conditions for His people to follow. First we have to humble ourselves. What does that mean to us today?

Can we remember, as children, looking up at our dads or even our uncles and thinking ’‘He's the biggest (tallest) person I know’? When we compared ourselves to that man, we felt very small. When we approach God we need to realize that we are puny, powerless creatures. We need to tell Him we can do nothing without His guidance, direction, or help. While He knows this, we have to acknowledge and accept our helplessness.

Also, we have to recognize we are not to play ‘one-up-man-ship’ with our fellow human beings. We all face hardships, hurts, trials, and tribulations in our lives. No one is exempt from these travails. We have hard times enter our lives because we are human. Also, they manifest themselves because we live in a fallen world. Sometimes, we have made bad choices.

In the act of humbling ourselves, we see our place in the scheme of things. We also see who God is. It is through this process that we grow spiritually.

Control

What in our lives can we control?
Our families– only if our children are small.
Our plans–not really.
Our schedules–not always
Our friends–not really and we shouldn't try.
When we realize we aren't in control of events happening around us,we wait for things to fall into place. While we bide our time, we can either seethe on the inside or we can take the news or lack of it in stride. As children of God we do a bit more. We turn the circumstances over to Him and ask for His guidance through the situation.

If we react to things with anger, we harm only ourselves–either physically, emotionally, or relationally.

Physically: Blood pressure rises, ulcers develop, acid reflux becomes a concern.

Emotionally: We feel hurt. We may cry.

Relationally: The ones who hear our outburst can either view us differently, distancing themselves from us or they merely treat us using a different approach.

When we accept the information and try to be ready for whatever comes next, we find ourselves calmer, better able to cope with the event and all it's allied problems.

The best way a person can endure all the stress is through prayer. When we have people praying for us we can feel the effect of their petitions to God. We experience a peace because God hears those pleas and surrounds us with His arms of love and guides us through the time of uncertainty.