The Comfort of God

The Comfort of the Lord Isaiah 12:1-3 Scripture In that day you will say: "I will praise you, O Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. 2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Introduction This week, I had a conversation with a young lady who was concerned about the people that she had allowed into her life. Were their actions going to reflect badly on her? Could their behaviors land her in trouble with the law? Was their information accurate or was it simply an attempt to justify themselves in their own minds? That brought back many memories for me, of a time when I was nervous and paranoid. My actions could very easily have landed me in court and caused me a lifetime of repercussions. My heart was far from God and though I knew it was wrong, I continued to engage that lifestyle because I didn't want to lose my "friends". Plus, I could attempt to justify myself with the knowledge that none of my friends had ever been caught, tried, convicted or punished for their participation in our sin, our rebellion, our teenage freedom. Then, one day, it all came to a head. I had been growing ever more paranoid and dissatisfied with my life. I was incredibly concerned that God was very displeased with me and that, at any moment, his anger and wrath might be poured out on me. Or, at the very least that he would turn his face away from me and "give me over" to the consequences of my choices. But in that moment, when I surrendered my life to him, instead of him shaking his finger in my face, I felt his comfort, his love, his peace. This was unlike anything that I had ever felt in my life. This was a revelation of God's grace, extended to someone who did not deserve it. What do we receive from God, when we believe, repent and cry out for help? 1. Comfort - God longs to give us his reassurance that we are not alone: He is with us. Often times His presence is all that we need to calm our apprehensions and fears. His presence quiets our spirit and gives us a peace that cannot be explained from the storm that is raging around us. One day, Jesus and his disciples went out on the lake, and Jesus went to sleep. While he was sleeping, a storm rose up on the Sea of Galilee, as storms often do. But this one was different, even for experienced mariners like James and John, and Peter and Andrew. They panicked. They ran to Jesus and awakened him from his rest. "Aren't you concerned for our wellbeing? This storm is going to drown us." Jesus gets up, speaks to the wind and the waves and says "Peace, be still." You know, it is one thing for us to experience that peace that comes when the wind stops and it is quite another for us to have the comfort of God that brings peace in the midst of the storm. 2. Strength. "The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;" It is interesting to see someone who is going through a difficult season, and they have the appearance of strength. Where does that strength come from? It is not of human origin. In the same way that peace comes from the Lord, so does strength. With him, through him, because of him, we can have mental strength, emotional strength, even physical strength that we did not have otherwise. I told some of you about a lady that I met this week. On Wednesday, January 13, 2021, her home burned to the ground. On Tuesday, January 19th, we sat and had an incredible conversation about her ordeal. Six days after losing all of her worldly possessions, she had an incredible peace in our conversation. Now I realize that there was also an incredible strength with her, it was the presence of God that gave her strength to carry on, when every fiber of her being wanted to quit. It was not her. It was God, it was Jesus, in her giving her strength. 3. Joy. "with Joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Joy is a whole other level. Joy is the confidence that nothing in this world can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 8). Joy isn't happiness. Happiness is based on feelings. Joy is something greater. Like comfort/peace, it can exist in the midst of tumult and confusion. It can survive in the desert of loneliness. It will outlast, even our last breath. Joy comes in knowing that this life is transitory, but salvation is eternal. The salvation that the Lord gives to us will never end, never cease, never be conquered by anything in time or space. Joy is a never ending adventure for the believer in Jesus, because we can never understand or comprehend the depths of who he is or how he works or even how much he loves. Because it keeps giving, Joy is powerful. Jesus told the woman at the well, "If you knew who it was that was speaking with you, you would ask of him and he would give you living water. ... whoever drinks the water that I give him (her) will never thirst," (John 4). Conclusion: The Gift of God Isaiah has seen beyond the sacrifices that were given in the Law of Moses. He has seen that a time would come when God's anger would be turned away, not just for Israel, but for all who would find the salvation that is offered by God, through his son, Jesus. In that day, in that moment, when we accept and receive this great gift, God gives us Comfort/Peace that is beyond comprehension; Strength that enables us to do things that our physical and mental capacity; and Joy that does not depend on our circumstances. This is the gift of God. This is the power of God. This is the salvation of the Lord. If you have never felt this love from God in your life, It is still available. All that is required is that you "call on his name". There is no other name, given among men, by which you can be, by which you must be, saved. 3