“When I am anxious with many heart cares, your comfort gives me renewed hope and joy.” (Ps.94:19)
Heavenly Father, saying your comfort gives us renewed hope and joy is like saying a 24 1/2-inch Brown Trout “blesses” a fly-fisherman, or a grandkid’s graduation from any level of education puts a smile on a grandparent’s face (pre-school to graduate-school). Truly, you are “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” (2Cor.1:3). No one cares for us more than you, Abba. Our heart cares will never be more numerous and greater than the love, grace, joy, and hope you give us.
How do you bring us renewed hope and joy? When we get lost in the weeds of our hurts, confusion, fears, and anger—you shatter the darkness with the North Star of your Word and lovingkindness. Indeed, every day is a return to Gospel-sanity.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit spontaneously makes our coming life in heaven more real than all the stressors and depressors of a current season of life. Our spirit rests, resets, rejoices, and cries out with hope, “The sufferings of this present life aren’t worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom.8:18). Help us excel in this kind Gospel-math, Abba.
Thank you also for caring for us through our “grace-smelling” friends. Just when Paul needed some fresh “heart-care” you sent Titus (2Cor.7:6). Another time it was Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (1Cor.16:17-18). Then Aristarchus, Mark, and Justus show up in the nick of need (Col.4:10).
Father, thank you for friends who listen from the heart, extend your kindness, and bring your comfort to us. They’ll take our call today, so why would we resist reaching out? And some of our friends need that call from us, likewise, so why would we delay? Lead us in both directions, Abba. So Very Amen.
