THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 6

 

2 Corinthians 1:3

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

 
We are poor creatures in ourselves.
 
We often seek comfort in the things of time,
    and meet with painful disappointment.
 
Sin has banished all true comfort and solid happiness from our world.
 
While God is excluded, comfort is excluded.
 
Distance from God is distance from comfort.
 
Our God is the Happy One.
 
He is also the happy-making One.
 
His comforts are pure, spiritual, and lasting.
 
His comforts delight the soul.
 
One ray of light from his countenance,
   one word of peace from his lips,
   will give more solid comfort than all earthly things.
 
We must learn to live out of self upon our God for comfort, or we shall never know permanent happiness.
 
He is willing to comfort us.
 
He says of his Zion, “I will comfort all her waste places.:
 
He promises his disconsolate people. “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. “
 
He commands his servants, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem.”
 
He sent his beloved Son into our world “to comfort all that mourn;” and it is of his favour that we enjoy “the comforts of the Holy Ghost.”
 

My God to me the grace impart,

Which all that mourn receive:

The only Comforter thou art,

Who only can’st forgive.

 
James Smith