Tuesday after Judica Sunday
Posted on April 5, 2022 by under
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NKJV)
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, 11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.
Devotion
Everyone suffers because of man’s fall into sin. Christians, in general, suffer more. In addition to what all men suffer, a Christian suffers for two other reasons: 1) he has made the world and the devil his enemies and 2) the Christ also suffered. Now, suffering is not evil, in a moral sense. We may call suffering “evil” if we mean that it was not part of God’s original plan. But it is not a sin to suffer. To despair is a sin; to charge God with moral evil is a sin. But to suffer is not a sin. On the other hand, if we endure suffering by prayer, that prayer is a pleasing sacrifice to God.
St. Paul, in today’s text, teaches that God comforts us in affliction. He does not always take affliction away, but He does always comfort. Our chief comfort is that our sins are forgiven through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As often as we pray in faith, God reaffirms to us this promise of forgiveness in Christ. The more we are afflicted, the more we pray. Therefore God uses affliction to bring us closer to Him, so that we lean on Him and grow more confident in the forgiveness of our sins. When fellow saints suffer as we do, we can comfort them in the same forgiveness of sins. We do not comfort with empty words like, “It’ll be okay.” Our comfort means something: “In Christ, your sins are forgiven.”
Prayer: We beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people, that by Thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with the Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
