Psalms 8:1, 16:2, and 31:1-3
My Shepherd called me into His green pastures and laid me down in 2 Corinthians 1. The Mind of the Spirit called the attention of the spirit of my mind to verse 4, and spoke to me in verses 3-6:
2Corinthians 1:3 ¶ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Corinthians 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Corinthians 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Corinthians 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
Right away, I noticed that the LORD was following up on yesterday’s devotion out of Psalm 34, specifically verses 17-20:
Psalms 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
Psalms 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Psalms 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
In Psalm 34, the Spirit gives assurances that “the LORD is nigh the heart broken whose spirit is contrite (Psalm 34:18) so that, 1. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous”; 2. But the LORD is a present help in times of trouble, and “delivereth him out of them all”; 3. And He limits the suffering so that although our suffering might vex our bones (Psalm 6:3), He will not allow it to break them (Psalm 34:20—to burst, to destroy).
In 2 Corinthians 1, the Spirit reveals God’s rationale for allowing His own to suffer: it is that we may experience His abounding comfort by Christ, Who suffered for our comfort, that we might, like HIm, also comfort those who suffer (2 Corinthians 1:4, see 3-6). He exposed Christ to suffering affliction (Psalm 22:1-18) and ministered to Him consolations. On the Cross, Jesus cried to Him (Psalm 22:19-21), and He answered Him (Psalm 22:22-23), “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard” (Psalm 22:24). That we might, with Him, say, “My praise shall be of him in the great congregation” and declare in triumph: “I will pay my vows before them that fear him” (Psalm 22:25), “For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations” (Psalm 22:28).
Along the still waters, the Comforter, Who was sent by Christ (John 14:26-27), ministered comfort to my spirit through Paul’s words: “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:2), and I understood the expediency of His departure (John 16:7). For then Christ was among them, but now He is in each of us: “Christ in you the hope of gory” (Colossians 1:27). Wherever we are He is with us. So with Paul, “I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
I extend to you the Comfort of the Spirit ministered to my heart by His word through Paul: “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Join me in His praise to GOD: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort,” Who comforts us in all our troubles (2 Corinthians 1:2-3).
Jesus comforted His disciples with the promise that His Spirit would come, and now the Spirit comforts us with the promise of our Lord’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).
In the valley, my heart kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I heard the Spirit: “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:5), so that “whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation” (2 Corinthians 1:6). He suffered for our consolation, and has called us to take up our cross and follow Him: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1Peter 2:21 ).
I sought His face and found it. With eyes aflame, and a voice as the sound of many waters, He spoke: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
At His table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness followed, saying, “The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9); Mercy came along with goodness, adding: “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36). We went into the harvest!
Praying for revival! 🙏
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