2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
What is your view of God? Where did that view come from?
Everyday I'm reminded that there's a wide range of views that people hold about God. Some aren't sure if God exists. Some believe that God is far away and disinterested. Others believe that God sits on a throne and judges, and judges harshly at that. Still others believe that God has stooped down to be with us, full of mercy and comfort.
In today's Bible verses, Paul is God's instrument for telling us that God is the "Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). It's fascinating that Paul would speak of God in such a way when we know that, earlier in his life, Paul, who was named Saul at the time, was more interested in bringing affliction to others than he was bringing comfort to anyone, especially since Saul brought that affliction to others in the name of the Lord.
What changed Saul from seeing God as a judge, who brings affliction, to being Paul who saw God as a strong servant who brings mercy and comfort? Jesus. It's that simple. Jesus changes the way that people see God. Jesus doesn't make us see God as weak. No, to the contrary, Jesus helps us to see how strong God has to be in order to be a God of mercy and comfort. All we have to do is look at Jesus being rejected and beaten bloody, carrying his cross, and ministering to others while he was hanging on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, and we'll see how strong you have to be in order to be merciful and comforting.
I was reminded of this yesterday, like everyday, in multiple conversations. People in our communities, churches, workplaces, and homes are literally starving to experience a God who knows them, warts and all, and still loves them enough to mercifully meet them in their difficult place in life and be willing to walk with them to a more healthy and comfortable place.
God's plan for people to meet and experience such a personal, loving God is us. Just like Paul says in today's Bible verses, God comes to us in Jesus so that, in the strength of Jesus, we'll meet others with God's comfort and mercy too. And somehow, God intends all of us to be blessed when we share the mercy with each other that God keeps giving us through Christ.
May your day be full of blessing as God is faithful in blessing us with mercy and comfort in Jesus so that we may share Jesus, mercy, and comfort with others.
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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