a thought occurred to me a couple weeks ago while doing some bible study. it was this: God's goodness is never for goodness sake, but for His glory. and His hand of comfort is accompanied by His call of commission.
when moses saw God's glory from the burning bush, God then commanded Him to go and deliver His people. (Exodus 3)
when the isrealites were delivered from Egypt and saw God prove His faithfulness to them, He declared, "But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (Exodus 9:16)
when joshua led the people across the dried up jordan river, "He did this so that all the people of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God." (Joshua 4:24)
when david defeated Goliath with a small stone, He said, "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is th LORD'S, and he will give all of you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:47)
when isaiah saw the Lord in all His glory in Isaiah chapter 6, He saw God's holiness and goodness, experienced His comfort, and then responded to His call to "Go and tell this people."
when shadrach, meshach, and abednego were delivered from the fiery furnace, the king declared,
"....... no other god can save in this way." (Daniel 3:29)
when daniel was lifted from the den of the lions, the king proclaimed God's glory, saying, "For he is the living God and he endures forever;" (Daniel 6:26)
when jonah was delivered from the belly of the whale, "the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.'" (Jonah 3:1-2)
when Gabriel spoke to mary and comforted her with the words, "do not be afraid," he commissioned her with the words, "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus...." (Luke 1:30-31)
when the angel spoke to joseph and comforted him with the words, "do not be afraid," it was so that joseph could "give him the name Jesus..." (Matthew 1:21)
when the angel appeared to the shepherds, comforting them with the words, "do not be afraid," he gave them, "good news for great joy that will be for all the people." (Luke 2:10)
when Jesus was raised from the dead and reappeared to the disciples, He then came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...." (Matthew 28: 19)
when paul wrote the the corinthians, he reminded them, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
at this point i am humbled by the perfection and completeness of God's Word and the hours it would take to list every example. the scriptures are full of this type of encounter. the God of the universe reveals himself to us, shows himself to us, proves himself to us, love us, comforts us. but all this is not so we can be comfortable! it is for His glory! when He comes to us, He also commissions us to share this love and comfort with others to the glory of His name.
"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name..." (Psalm 29:2)
