Comfort, Comfort
Isaiah 40:1-11
1. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. 3. A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." 6. A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people is grass. 8. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. 9. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" 10. Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11. He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
According to my Bible Reader’s Companion, “the Hebrew word for “comfort” used here is
naham. “It is a deeply emotional word, overflowing with feelings of pity and concern. It’s a word that often has the meaning of consolation. Isaiah has cried out against the spiritual insensitivity of his generation and warned of devastating divine punishments.” But wait a minute! Couldn’t that same statement/warning/proclamation be made today—against us? For centuries, prophets have beseeched us to “get on board!” How long will man continue to defy God and keep on sinning?
Fortunately for us, we worship a God, who is as loving and gentle as he is mighty. One who lovingly stoops down to lay his hand upon us with the same tenderness we would display toward a cooing newborn baby. The God who made the world; the God whose majesty cannot even begin to be reflected in the wonders of this world, loves us. Even when we can’t find the words to express our need, God meets that need. Even when we are frightened and unsure of the future, God has already made a way for us. Even when we lose a loved-one, God waits in heaven to welcome their soul, and reminds us that He never dies.
I didn’t know where to turn in my Bible this morning. I’ve rejoiced at my new job all week, but then last night I received a call from a dear friend that her brother had died. So it was difficult to figure out how I felt this morning. But “comfort” is never out of order. Even when everything in our lives seems to be going along just great, we need to remember who is the source of all life. Even when we can’t figure out the why of a situation, God has already planned far into the future, and promises us that we will understand everything at the end of time. Even when, “I’m sorry,” is all we can think of to say, it’s enough, because God speaks through our friends.
Isaiah speaks of a life without trial, tribulation, grieving or remorse. Jesus offers us the way to achieve that existence. His death and resurrection changed all the rules. He understands our profound grief when a family member dies—remember his tears upon hearing of the death of Lazarus? He became one of us, to show us that whatever we’re feeling—he’s felt it and can extend his nahum/comfort to us.
Sometimes God seems so big and distant. But Isaiah expresses his feelings of God’s very real presence in his life. He needed the kind of comfort only an all-surpassing God could offer. And the assurance that it would be offered freely and without limit or restriction.
I hope today you turn to God for all your needs. And that you find comfort beyond expression in knowing that He will meet them all.
Mary
