Introductory Thoughts
The world places a premium on the concept of living comfortably. For instance, people desire comfortable clothes, comfortable beds, comfortable cars, comfortable furniture, etc. The list is unending. There are even foods designated as “comfort foods.” Yet, with this great emphasis upon comfort, the world seems to experience so little of true comfort. So, what exactly is comfort? Why is speaking of comfort so trendy and yet so hard to achieve? The word comfort is easily defined by breaking it down into two parts: com and fort. The prefix com means “with” and the word fort means “strength.” Simply put, comfort involves a strength that a person can carry with him. Immediately, every Christian should recognize that very little true comfort exists in this world. True comfort stems from the Lord and not that offered outside of Him.
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): Ruth was a poor stranger in a strange and distant land. God led Ruth to glean in Boaz field to get food. Boaz comforted her: spoke kindly, offered her to gather barley every day in his field, offered her protection, and even offered food and drink when the workers ate (Ruth 2:8-14).
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(For everyone): Have you ever experienced a time when you needed some comfort? Why did Isaac need to be comforted in Genesis 24:67? How did his comfort come from the Lord?
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What are some times, other than the loss of a loved one, when an individual might need to be comforted? What are some ways in which you could offer comfort?
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask God to help you be a comfort to others in their time of need.
- Thank God for the times He has comforted you.
Song
TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
