Comfort, O comfort My people, says your God.

— Isaiah 40:1

The great preacher Dr. R. W. Dale said, “People need consolation. They really need it and not merely long for it.” Another gentleman, Bill Elliot, says, “Christianity is a religion of comfort. Our God is not only ‘the God of all grace,’ He is also ‘the God of all comfort.'”

From the cradle, where a crying baby is picked up by loving arms, to the deathbed, where a cool hand is stroking a wrinkled cheek, comfort is crucial. Life is never easy and we all need comfort from each other. But we also need comfort from God. He is the one who saves our tears in His bottle and ultimately will wipe away every tear from our eyes. He knows how we are made, and He remembers that we are dust. We have a loving and kind God whose eyes are always on His own.

When people tell us, “Everything will be OK,” those are nice words. But when God says, “Weep no more,” it is because He has made all things new. When Jesus saw the people, he had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). He sacrificed Himself so that all could be well with our souls. What a difference it makes in our lives to receive God’s comfort.

Question to ponder:
To whom can you show compassion and comfort today?