May 12, 2009 - Comforted To Comfort

Meditation on 2 Corinthians 1

God spoke through Paul to encourage the suffering Christians that God was the God of all comfort. God intended to comfort us in all kinds of situation so that we would be able to comfort others. Paul had experienced the comfort of God time and time again in his difficult and dangerous missionary journey. He knew what it meant to be in the most desperate condition. But God had delivered him and he was comforted with the assurance that God will deliver him again in the future. (v. 1-14)

Another great comfort is to know that God's promises are all yes, not yes and no or perhaps. Some Corinthians accused Paul for not keeping his promise to come to Corinth. As God's servant is a representative of God's character and reliability, Paul pointed out to the Corinthians that all God's promises are yes. (v. 20) He did not go to see them was for the reason of sparing them from his discipline. (v. 23) From the later content in this letter, we know that Paul was glad he did not need to face them with harsh judgment. The Corinthian had repented and changed their conduct as a result of his first letter. So Paul turned their earlier accusation into a forum of comfort to know that God's promise will always be true and fulfilled for our advantage.

Do you need God's comfort today? The Holy Spirit, the Comforter will come along side for you as you pray. Hold on to the promise of God. He will fulfill it for you in the most appropriate time. But remember, once you are comforted, you should turn to comfort others who may be around you.