Comfort for the heart...

2Thessolonians 2:17 “comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”

What is it that takes our eyes off that which is important for our lives, both here on earth and the life to come, the hereafter! I suppose that being an open ended question could have a thousand retorts, nevertheless when we strip it down we are left with one little word SIN, an everyday manifestation that constantly gnaws at our conscience, which has had an influential influence on all from the beginning of time.  I am tempted to say bar the Lord Jesus; although He miraculously never yielded to sin, to say it never had any bearing on His life would not be accurate. He was summoned to earth by His Father (God Almighty) with one objective in mind, to do the will of His Father which was to defeat sin once and for all… His goal, to defeat sin in a man’s body! A flesh and blood body we have all been given and yet we have all fallen privy to sin in one form or another, we are all guilty as charged!

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—“ (Romans 5:12)

We are very quick to want to excuse ourselves from our own sin as we accuse others; this may well carry water here on earth as we gather audiences to nod their heads concurring with our self-justification, but not before God! “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:2)  

Let us use an analogy to help us understand what that verse teaches us;- a law is passed by the government declaring that the speed limit is 60km per hour, a man then travels along that road at 70 km per hour, a trap records his vehicle travelling over the speed limit. Is he guilty of breaking the law? Another man travels at 120 km per hour and is also caught by the same trap, is he guilty of breaking the law? They are both guilty as charged! Therefore if we had to reason as we all do through the throws of life, “but I wasn’t going as fast as the other man, or I am not as bad as that person; this type of rationale can and will never excuse us of our sin. Just as both men were guilty of speeding so too will all be guilty of sin. The punishment will be harsher for the man travelling at 120 km per hour but yet both will be penalized!

The Lord Jesus came to pay the price for our sin: who will then be forgiven from their penalty of sin? Those who are covered by His righteousness!  In other words; “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Although all have sinned many will escape judgment because of the free gift of God. Who then shall escape judgment? All who call upon Him seeking His forgiveness for their sin! Do they deserve forgiveness? Absolutely Not! All have broken God’s law! Some may have travelled through life at 70km per hour while others have motored along at 120km per hour; nevertheless all are guilty of sin in one form or another. Why then do some respond to the free gift of God while others dismiss it as baloney? Here is just one of the many reasons the Bible teaches us why… They suppress the truth; many will give place to the planet (earth) and the saving of it, but refuse to acknowledge the One who created it! “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20)

Therefore sin is our greatest enemy as it will always look to take our eyes off what is of most importance… The will of God the Father! This then is our battle even after we have been saved, that is why this verse is so comforting; “comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (2Thessolonians 2:17)

“Comfort is a means of establishment; for the more pleasure we take in the word, and work, and ways of God, the more likely we shall be to persevere therein. And, 2. Our establishment in the ways of God is a likely means in order to comfort; whereas, if we are wavering in faith, and of a doubtful mind, or if we are halting and faltering in our duty, no wonder if we are strangers to the pleasures and joys of religion. What is it that lies at the bottom of all our uneasiness, but our unsteadiness in religion? We must be established in every good word and work, in the word of truth and the work of righteousness: Christ must be honoured by our good works and good words; and those who are sincere will endeavour to do both, and in so doing they may hope for comfort and establishment, till at length their holiness and happiness be completed.” (Matthew Henry)

As underserving as my example through life has sadly proved to be, yet will I rejoice in the Lord for He has made a way for the struggling pilgrim!  How is it that some of us lose our way and yet God still finds it in his heart to open our eyes when they have been so tightly shut, praise His glorious name, now and forever more. All hail King Jesus! A shepherd like no other!

Signing off

Tyrone