The God of All Comfort

Rev. A.H. Verhoef, St. Catharines, ON

The apostle speaks of comfort. Do you know experimentally what this is? Do you need it in truth? Paul’s words in the beginning of this episde are part of his doxology. After he blessed the Corinthians, he magnified the Lord from the fullness of his heart. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” That God and Father is the Fount of consolation, and He “comforteth us in all our tribulation.”

Do we need comfort? Ah, it is very necessary to speak about comfort. Comfort is indispensable. Let me mention three things; they do not pass by any of us.

What are we? We are men, creatures made by God, now subject to all kinds of misery. Even speaking in general, how much grief and tribulation exists in the world: devastating earthquakes, war bringing untold agony, crippling diseases, unbearable pain, wounds inflicted by hatred or abuse or malice, losing loved ones. Man’s life is full of affliction, for “man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward,” said Eliphaz.

Is there no need for comfort?

What are we? We are not only men, but we are sinners. Now we come closer to the source of trouble. Our heart is full of uncleanness. We have an unquenchable thirst for sin, and these sins are written on our account with God. There comes a reckoning, and our debts must be paid. How can that holy and righteous God have communion with us? How can He show us His favor? We are the righteous objects of His wrath, and “His wrath brings desolation.”

Oh, if this is discovered unto us, if our conscience speaks, is there no felt need for comfort?

We go a step further still. What are we? We are mortals; we are subject to death. “Who can, in death’s dark hour, escape the dismal grave with all its ruinous power?” Not one. Death will climb into your window and mine. We can neither stop it nor turn back that solemn moment. Many in our days are so dulled to the seriousness of life and the dreadful judgment awaiting them. All of us by nature are blind to our blindness and dead to our state of death. We postpone that hour and refuse to consider that we must die and be prepared to die, and what about at the end of our life if we have a sickbed or if we are old? Does it improve in those evil days? Surely not. Pain and weakness occupy us, sometimes medicines soothe us, or our mind is no longer clear. Still others deceive themselves with an imagined heaven. If, in truth, we realize a little that the wrath of God remaineth upon the wicked and will remain upon us forever if before we die no wonder has taken place, then we tremble and fear. Others have a closed conscience and slip to the end of their time of grace so unconcerned, so hardened, while they sit a lifetime under the truth.

Is there no need for comfort, young and old? Is there no need for comfort, because we are men, we are sinners, we are mortals?

However, has this been discovered unto us? Do we know we are but men, guilty sinners who soon must die and render an account to our Maker? Oh, how shall we do in the swelling of that Jordan if we have no comfort?

But what is comfort? What blessing does it yield? Consolation and salvation are knit together. Comfort encourages the true Christian. It cheers him in his greatest troubles. It quiets all his unrest. It refreshes his weary soul. It makes him calm and satisfied. It banishes his fears. It strengthens him in all tribulation and strife. It lifts him up at death. It gives him joy in all his sorrows. Through patience and comfort of the Scriptures he has hope.

Come, examine it, my friend. Do you know such comfort? In days of darkness and mourning, in seasons of sickness and trouble, in the time of approaching death, what is your comfort? “When troubles round me swell, when fears and dangers throng, securely I will dwell in His pavilion strong.” Oh, can you sing this from your heart? Such comfort cannot come from self. It cannot come from man, although the comforting word of a mother or the tender care of husband or wife in days of sorrow and grief are surely blessings the Lord still grants in our fallen world of misery and woe. However, the comfort for my soul, the spiritual comfort, which is needful for eternity, flows only from the God of all comfort. How blessed is then the remnant that may testify, “God comforteth us in all our tribulation.”

How does He grant this comfort? By giving sorrow first, by bringing trouble upon us, by grief and afflictions overwhelming our soul. Alas, by nature, by our fallen nature, we have no God and no master, we think. We do not bow under God, or under His Word, or under the offices instituted by Him. Our imagined knowledge puffeth us up. However, then the Lord comes, freely, one-sidedly, sovereignly, and He begins to take this all away. We become a blind, foolish, ignorant sinner. We learn with grief that God created us, we should obey Him, and we ought to serve Him, but I have been living only for myself, I act as if I am my own, and I always want to be king. Oh, that wretched, corrupt, selfish nature, so loathsome and abominable. Bowing in the dust, supplicating for mercy, bitterly weeping about the breach, the groanings are wrought in the soul by the Spirit, while we must righteously perish.

Are there those who know something of this, who are experimentally acquainted with such godly sorrow? “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Yes, blessed are they, and this is a lesson continually taught at the school of Jesus; it is taught over and over again. The natural mind receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; they can only be spiritually discerned. That soul tastes sweetness in the sorrow, sweetness in the tears; God’s love and mercy bind him to the throne of grace. The Lord comes over—tenderly, graciously, surprisingly. “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” With Him is true comfort. In Him is true comfort. By Him is true comfort. My separation from God was taken over by Him; He suffered and was forsaken of His God, He bore the wrath for me, His soul was sorrowful unto death, He bled and gave His life a ransom, and He made reconciliation. As the Lord is pleased to reveal this and apply this by His Spirit, the wondrous comfort is received and makes glad the heart of that poor, sorrowing sinner.

Christ is the almighty, the all-sufficient, the most merciful, the ever-faithful Redeemer, the Savior mighty to save, able to save to the uttermost. Is He not suitable and very precious? Then the sinner rejoices, “Our help is in that glorious Name, that Name of matchless worth!” “The Lord my Shepherd holds me within His tender care,” testifies David, “and with His flock He folds me, no want shall find me there.” “In life, in death, Thou art my stay, my strength, my portion, Lord, for aye,” sings Asaph. Oh, truly, that is comfort—He cares for me, according to body and soul, both in life and death, because I am not my own but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. I belong to Him. “So our consolation aboundeth by Christ.”

Blessed is the portion of poor, sorrowing souls in affliction. They shall experience “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.” Do you know to what purpose here below? “That we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” Oh, the Lord grant us such comfort in our soul and such comforters among us. Then we shall evermore bless God, even the God of all comfort who has comforted us.

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