The power and comfort of being present (Isaiah 40:1)

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 40:1 (TM) – larger reading Isaiah 40:1-11

"Comfort, oh comfort my people," says your God.

STORY:

Once during Queen Victoria's reign, she heard that the wife of a common laborer had lost her baby. Having experienced deep sorrow herself, she felt moved to express her sympathy. So she called on the bereaved woman one day and spent some time with her. After she left, the neighbors asked what the queen had said. "Nothing," replied the grieving mother. "She simply put her hands on mine, and we silently wept together."

OBSERVATION:

There is comfort and power in being present. We seldom appreciate this unless we are on the receiving end. We engage our mouth when all we really need to do is put our heart in gear.

God understands the human condition better than we understand it ourselves. His comfort can be found not so much by what is said, but just from the power of being present.

During my growing up years we had two foster sisters who lived with us. The oldest wasn’t more than 5 years old. She had a tender heart. One day I hurt myself, probably fell of my bike. She came right over, sat in my lap and said: “That’s okay I will cry with you” and she did.

Too many will be having a blue Christmas this year. It matters not why. It is just a reality that their spirit is low and the season of good cheer is not for them. God has a word for them… comfort. We are the channels of that comfort. We are the ones who show up, hold their hands, and weep with them. Why? Because Jesus showed up, held our hands, and wept with us.

He shared our grief… and comfort came.

PRAYER:

For those who are blue bring comfort. If that comfort is to come from us may we make it so. May none go through today without the comfort you made real in Jesus.