COMFORT

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."

Isaiah 40:1
King James Version

We go to visit people in the hospital and nursing homes who are physically sick but how often do we go visit people who are hurting emotionally? The Bible makes it clear that God said to comfort His people when they are hurting. That includes people who are hurting emotionally as well as those who are sick physically.

When is the last time you picked up the telephone to call someone who needed comforting? When is the last time you mailed a letter or sent an email to someone who is hurting? Several years ago, I heard a woman say "After my husband died, people were so kind and comforting during the visitation and the funeral but a couple of weeks later when I felt so alone, nobody called me or came to see me.

Joyce Landorf Heatherley, a Christian speaker and author, said on one of her teaching tapes "The people we sit next to in church look fine and they look darling, but inside they are hurting". Joyce has another tape called "Balcony People". On this tape she tells about being at an airport with a pastor's wife and the pastor's wife pointed to herself and said "Pastors and their wives need balcony people".

Are you a balcony person to your pastor and family? When is the last time you invited your pastor to dinner? Your pastor may not be able to come due to other commitments but just knowing you care enough to give an invitation to dinner would be an encouragement to your pastor.

It is very important and even urgent that we encourage our pastor. Several years ago, I received an email from a pastor who wrote "We were so excited when we were invited to come minister at this church. However, nobody has said anything encouraging to me. I feel like leaving my pulpit and stop being a pastor".

One day every person in that church who criticized and discouraged that pastor and family will stand before a Holy God and give an account of the way they treated the pastor and family. God makes it very clear that we are not to discourage and criticize our pastor. We read in the Bible "Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (1 Chronicles 16:22).

If you're not encouraging your pastor, become an encourager to your pastor. Not only will it make your pastor happy, it will also make Jesus happy. Making Jesus happy should be desire of every Christian. I praise God and thank Him for my Pastor. Pastor Davis really loves Jesus and he proves it not only by what his words but also by his actions.

Heavenly Father, I pray for every pastor who is preaching the good news of our risen Saviour. Please comfort them, encourage them and let them know how much You appreciate their service to You. I love You, Heavenly Father, and I appreciate all You have done for me. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Joanne Lowe

February 1, 2020