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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Tributes are altogether too infrequent in our lives. A tribute can be as simple as a kind word to someone who is struggling to do a good job. Or, it can be as elaborate as a preplanned program complete with speakers, awards, testimonials, and the like. It could be a bouquet of flowers to the mother of your children. It could be a small gift coupon to your child in recognition of just being a super kid. Tributes come in all shapes and sizes, but I do think they don't occur as frequently as they should. Today's message is a tribute, tribute to the written word of God.
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15.4-6). There are several things in this text that are worthy of note. For instance, notice that God is called “...the God of patience and comfort.” Notice also the closing sentence that seeks one mind and one mouth among believers, i.e. the glorification of “...the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” However, in keeping with the overall theme of this series, we will stick to the concept of the “...comfort of the Scriptures!”
It is absolutely impossible for me to think about the comfort of the Scriptures without thinking of the Psalm 23. I think of the millions of funeral eulogies that have included this marvelous text. I also think of the probable billions of nighttime prayers that have borrowed from its promises of safety and providential watch care. But far more personal and lasting for me, I remember when my own father was a stroke victim a few days prior to his death. Those were dark hours in which he did not speak or apparently have any conscious knowledge of his surroundings. The reality of seeing only a shell of a man who had been larger than life to me was a stark and sobering reality! I recall reading and quoting the Psalm 23 hundreds of times while I sat in a troubled state of mind by his bedside. I adopted the poignant introductory words of the Psalm as my personal pledge: “The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want!” It was the comfort that these words offered which gave me the strength to go on. I am absolutely positive that this same story could be shared by millions of others should they be given voice to do so. The 23Psalm is a Psalm of great and eternal comfort.
It is noteworthy that the author of the 23Psalm personally went to Scripture as the source of solace during troubled times. Hear some of his words: “This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life... I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD, And have comforted myself... Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, According to Your word to Your servant... My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, 'When will You comfort me?'” (Psalm 119.50,52,76, & 82). In fact, the entire 119th Psalm (the longest chapter in the Bible) is a tribute to God's word. In one form or another, all but two of its 176 verses contain direct references to the word of God.
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” PRAISE GOD!!
Questions:
1. What legitimate forms of tribute are available to us everyday at absolutely no cost?
2. According to Romans 15, what two personal and precious gifts can we obtain from the Scriptures?
3. In times of trouble, from what resource did the author of the Psalms seek comfort?
4. List two unique things about the 119th Psalm.
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