Grandma’s Memorial Service

Opening

I was listening to an audiobook with my youngest son Tyler in the car yesterday while he and I were waiting on the bus. In the story a little boy fell off of his bike on the sidewalk and skinned his knee. The little boy began to crying and as the boys mother went to pick him up off the sidewalk he said, “Wouldn’t it be great if the whole world were cushioned because then it wouldn’t hurt so much when I fall.” Unfortunately our world can be hard, like a rough sidewalk. It does more of course than just skin our knees; it breaks our hearts.

God wants to comfort us when we hurt. Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” When we suffer the pain of loss, God can bind our wounds and reassure us that it will be all right.

How can wee find comfort?

In 2 Corinthians 1:3,2 Corinthians 1:4 Paul tells us that God is the one “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.”

God is the God of all comfort. There is no real comfort apart from God. When our kids were smaller there were times when nothing would console my son Noah except his mother. I could distract him for a while, but after the distraction he would want his mom again. This is also true of God. He is the source of real comfort. We may find distractions, but nothing brings lasting comfort except for Him.

This is why we look to God in times of sorrow. People try to find comfort elsewhere, but anything other than God is only a distraction. Turn to God to bind your broken heart.

God comforts us in our troubles. The Bible says he is faithful in all our troubles. Psalm 86:15 says “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

God rushes to our side to help us through sorrow. He comforts us in all our troubles. Psalm 46:1 encourages us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” God is the source of all comfort and God comforts us in all our troubles.

God comforts us so we can comfort others. 2 Corinthians 1:3,2 Corinthians 1:4 “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.” It is comforting to know that God can use our experience to help others. God never wastes a hurt. The are countless story’s of grandma helping her kids & grandkids in their time of need.

This world is not cushioned. But in Jesus Christ we find the source of all comfort in all our troubles. He uses our pain to help others, and that is the greatest comfort of all.