August 11, 2017
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 2 Corinthians? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Corinthians 1 (ESV)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 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. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many… Continue Reading
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Quite a greeting
I though the same thing, Jim! Thank you for posting every day…you and Melanie have been such an encouragement to me.
It reminded me of Mathew 5:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I didn’t see that connection, Dave, until you shared it. But yes, I do now! Beautiful. Thank you.
Have you ever suffered so greatly, you had nowhere left to turn BUT God? I have, several times. And the comfort I received from Him during those particularly difficult trials served to reveal His grace in ways I never would have, had I been able to be rescued by people or by my own self-sufficiency and resources.
I found these Scriptures (and many more) about suffering at https://dailyverses.net/suffering:
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4
When I have faced hardship, particularly the death of a loved one, I think of this verse. The first time I ever heard this verse was when someone shared it with me when my mom passed away. I was 25 years old and really didn’t see any greater purpose.
God comforts us..and we pass on that comfort to others who face the same sufferings. Why is it comforting to know that someone else has gone through the same thing, and God comforted them? I don’t know why, but empathy seems to be built into us. Another comforting point is that, Paul and Timothy and others were facing a death sentence! If God is sufficient to comfort them in the death sentence, how much more is He sufficient to comfort us in our troubles and losses.
I noticed that, too, Amy, how Paul and Timothy were comforted by God even under threat of death, because He is God who RAISES the dead. It reminded me of the Christians who have been martyred over the years, and that picture in Revelation 6:9-11 of the souls beneath the altar who look forward to the day of God’s judgment, and again in Revelation 20:4, where they will be raised to life to reign with Christ.
For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.❤️
Although God has other names to help us understand who He is, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (NIV) is a pretty special one! He not only identifies with the things we go through but seeks to be with us and comfort us in it. And don’t miss that He comforts us in the specific things we go through so we can comfort those in any situation, not jus the one we have been through.
And sometimes God presses us to the edge so that we learn to rely on Him and not our own power (v.9).
And it’s pretty cool that all the promise of God are “Yes” in Christ. (v20). God does not vacillate like we do as humans. And we stand firm in Him who has set His seal of ownership on us. Awesome!