This month, in recognition of the tragedy on Virginia Tech’s campus, we turn our attention to how the Lord works with us through the challenges of our life, that in responding to Him we might find peace. Honoring our freedom and never forcing our hand, He knows we will grieve, and that’s why we choose the theme for this issue to be: “Our Comforter.”
God Remembers…
Just as God remembered the covenant He made with Noah (which is the promise of new life when we are born again spiritually, and have overcome the influence of hell), we are told that He remembers all of our hopes and dreams, and all that we are doing to reach out to Him in a life of faith and love. He remembers the promise He makes with each of us, that we will always be His children and the sheep of His pasture, if we will only follow the Good Shepherd. The Lord Jesus Christ remembers us; as we are told, “the Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”
And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.” (Gen 9:12-17)
“The day will come,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33)
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:32-43)
‘And God remembered’ means the end of temptation and the start of renewal is clear from what comes before and after this. ‘God remembered’ in particular means His being merciful. His remembering is mercy, and this is attributed to Him especially when temptation is past because at that time new light is shining. As long as temptation lasts, a person assumes that the Lord is not present, for he is being harassed by evil spirits, so harassed in fact that sometimes he has so great a feeling of hopelessness as scarcely to believe in the existence of any God at all. Yet at such times the Lord is more present than that person can possibly believe. But once temptation subsides he receives comfort, and for the first time believes that the Lord is present. Consequently, because He appears to do so, ‘God’s remembering’ mentioned here means the end of temptation and the start of renewal. (AC 840)
God Comforts…
We know that God offers comfort to all who are seeking the path of life, because He is the fountain of mercy, peace, and goodness. He offers that comfort continually, allows us to find balance and renew our strength in Him, whether or not we always feel it working.
LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them. (Psalm 10:17)
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and your staff - they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and that her sins are pardoned. (Isaiah 40:1-2)
All praise be to God. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Co. 1:3-6)
In the Heavenly Doctrine
The Lord wills to have everyone near to Himself, so that they do not stand outside, that is, in the first heaven. His will is that they should dwell in the third heaven. and if possible not merely with Him but abiding in Him. Such is the nature of… the Lord’s love. (AC 1799)
May you find peace and hope in His love.
Your friend,
Pastor Ethan
0 Responses to “Virginia Tech”