A Prayer of Comfort
The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Isaiah 51:11-12
Oh Father, words hardly can express my gratitude for the magnitude of hope in these promises. I believe, but free me even more from the measure of unbelief which still dogs and dulls my heart. As this day begins, I would remember than I have been ransomed, redeemed, purchased by the great price of the life and death of your Son, Jesus. I have been bought out of sin, condemnation, and death, and brought into your eternal embrace. Not only am I not my own, but I am YOURS! You love me because you love me, period.
All captivities, the ones I’ve generated by my foolishness, and those brought upon me by others, all of them will be broken. No imprisonment, no bondage, no stronghold will keep me from arriving safely home in the New Jerusalem. Even now, Lord Jesus, even now before you return to usher in the new heaven and new earth, even now, you are my Jubilee, you are my eternal year of the Lord’s favor. You are the one who sets the captive free, including this captive, and those you set free are free indeed!
It’s hard to imagine a coronation of everlasting joy and singing with the whole ransomed family of God from every single race, tribe, tongue and people group. Oh, my! It’s hard to conceive of being overtaken and overwhelmed with gladness and joy. It’s hard to grasp that, one Day, all sorrow and sighing will not only be gone, but will FLEE away, forever.
Indeed, Lord, you are the one that comforts me in this day by the hope of that Day. Forgive me and free me from seeking my comfort from anyone or anything else. Give me enough comfort in the gospel today that I might freely share with others the very comfort I find in you. Amen