“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies/compassions and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2 Cor. 1:3-5
Jesus’ favorite name for God is Father. He taught us to call God … “Our Father.” The Bible makes it clear that names matter a whole lot. And when Jesus points out a name we are to take it seriously. The first name we were given is the one on our birth certificate, chosen for us by our parents. Some of us acquired endearing nicknames we still wear with joy (or with a cringe).
But the name that is most inviting, timely, and precious to us today is the name God chose for Himself in this passage…Father. Some may want to say that this is a title…and it is…but for our children…Father, Daddy, Dad…even Papa, becomes the most endearing of names. And on this Monday, the first day of September, I am glad that not only does He delight in being called Father but He also expect to be known as “…the Father of mercies/compassions and God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” This is what a good father does. He comforts us. He binds our wounds. He walks with us through affliction so that when we grow up we will do the same thing… so we can be just like our Father.
Father is not a nickname, it is the truth. Our Father “…chose us before the foundations of the earth. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ… In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:5, 11). We know this to be true because of the Gospel. For it clearly tells us that our most eternal need was met, once and for all, by the gift of the Son, Jesus. By the sufferings of Christ, we now have love permanently fixed upon us as sons and daughters of the King.
In every area of our lives, He want us to experience Him as our “Father of mercy/compassion and God of all comfort”—in old heart wounds, and current fiery trials; in the things that cause us fear, and those which fuel our shame; in the vulnerability of getting older, and the challenges that face our children. In all of this we must remember, “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
In His grip,
Pastor Mike
