2007-09-25 - This is my Comfort!

Psalm 25:18, 'Look upon my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.'

The above verse is a plea of David, that the Lord look upon him in his troubles and forgive his sins. He looks to God in his distress, and this is a good example for us to follow. It is right that we turn to the Lord in our times of affliction, and beg that God would look favorably upon us. In hard times, it is natural for the child of God to seek to lay hold of the throne of mercy. This is where we should place our confidence.

However, I wish to take this thought a step further today, and I think we see the Psalmist also taking things a step further in Psalm 119:50. Here we are told, "This is my comfort in my affliction, that Thy Word has revived me." In the first passage, David asks that the Lord look upon him in his time of distress and have mercy - but in this passage, we see where the Psalmist himself looked. He looked to the Word of God for his renewal. He seeks the Lord to revive him, but uses the means given, Scripture, to be the answer to his own prayers.

There are many places where people look in the times when they struggle. The drunk has his/her bottle. The miser counts his money, even when he has none. Most of us have some comfort or another in the tough times. Notice here that the Psalmist has God's Word. Oh, if we could take God's Holy Word in our struggles - and clinging to It, proclaim with joy, "This is my comfort!" The Christian seeks His consolation from the Lord, but practically finds it clearest in Scripture. Can we say this? Can we say with the Psalmist, "This is my comfort in my affliction."?

We must be ashamed that the Word of God is often not the first place we go for comfort. We can blush when we have to admit that it is often the last place we think about going. We go to a game, neighbors, family, friends, watch a movie, go shopping - anything to take away the pain. These are all miserable comforts to us, compared to the Word of God. Scripture is full of promises. It is the key that unlocks many doors. The Word of God is like a checkbook that has a full account of solace for every case that is brought to it.

Afflictions are common to the believers' experience, but we have a valley to seek refuge in, and it is to our increased difficulty that we fail to take advantage of it. As we encounter our daily struggles, and even have afflictions as constant companions, let us turn to God's Word and seek succor from the fountain of all consolation, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

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