Daily Worship (Dec 21)

Isaiah 40:1–5
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert
a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.’”

Devotional Thought
Isaiah 40 opens with one of the most tender commands in Scripture: “Comfort, comfort my people.” These words were spoken to people who were broken, defeated, and living with the consequences of their sin. They were in exile. They had lost homes, loved ones, and hope. Yet God does not begin with rebuke. He begins with comfort.

Notice how God comforts his people. He does not deny their suffering. He explains it. Their “hard service” is complete. Their sin has been paid for. This points us directly to the theme of divine exchange that we see fulfilled in Jesus. God’s comfort comes not by ignoring sin, but by dealing with it. Justice is satisfied so peace can be given.

The passage also promises God’s presence. The Lord himself is coming. Valleys will be lifted. Mountains will be brought low. God will do what his people cannot do for themselves. This is not self-help comfort. This is rescue comfort.

For us, this passage reminds us that real comfort comes from knowing that God has acted decisively on our behalf. Through Jesus, our guilt has been dealt with. Through Jesus, God has drawn near. Through Jesus, the glory of the Lord is revealed in the middle of a broken world.

When suffering feels overwhelming, this passage invites us to hear God speak tenderly to us. Comfort is not found in distraction or denial, but in trusting that God keeps his promises and finishes what he starts.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does Isaiah 40 mark a turning point in the book of Isaiah?
• Observation: What reasons does God give for offering comfort to his people?
• Meaning: What does it mean that their sin “has been paid for”?
• Main Idea: How does God bring true comfort to weary and broken people?
• Application: Where do you need to hear God’s tender words of comfort today?

Prayer
Lord, speak tenderly to our hearts. Help us trust that you have dealt with our sin and drawn near to us in Jesus. Teach us to rest in your promises when we are weary and afraid. Amen.

2 Corinthians 1:3–7
“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 receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”

Devotional Thought
Paul calls God “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.” That title matters, especially when life feels heavy. God is not distant from suffering. He is not annoyed by weakness. He is not impatient with tears. He is compassionate, and he comforts his people in real trouble.

This passage teaches us that comfort is not the absence of suffering. In fact, Paul assumes suffering will come. What changes is that we never suffer alone. Our comfort “abounds through Christ.” That means Jesus is present with us in pain. He knows suffering from the inside. He endured sorrow, rejection, injustice, and death. Because of that, his comfort is not shallow or temporary.

Paul also reminds us that comfort has a purpose. God comforts us so that we can comfort others. This keeps us from becoming inward-focused in our pain. Even in sorrow, God is shaping us to be sources of grace to others. Our suffering is not wasted.

This fits with the message of Longing for Comfort. God does not promise to remove all pain right now, but he does promise to be present. He promises to sustain us. And he promises that comfort will ultimately win because Jesus has already overcome sin and death.

When you feel overwhelmed, this passage invites you to turn toward God, not away from him. He is the God of all comfort, and he meets his people right where they are.

COMMA Questions

• Context: What struggles was Paul facing as he wrote this letter?
• Observation: What does Paul say God does for his people in trouble?
• Meaning: What does it mean to share in both Christ’s sufferings and comfort?
• Main Idea: How does God use comfort in the lives of his people?
• Application: How might God be calling you to comfort someone else?

Prayer
Father of compassion, thank you for being near to us in our troubles. Comfort us through Christ, and help us share that comfort with others who are hurting. Amen.

Matthew 11:28–30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Devotional Thought
Jesus speaks directly to those who are exhausted by life. He does not say, “Fix yourself.” He does not say, “Try harder.” He says, “Come to me.” That invitation is the heart of the gospel.

The people listening to Jesus were weary from sin, suffering, and religious pressure. They carried guilt, fear, and disappointment. Jesus offers something different: rest for their souls. This rest is not found in escaping responsibility, but in exchanging burdens. Jesus takes what crushes us and gives us what sustains us.

This is the great exchange we see throughout Scripture. Jesus carries our sin, and we receive forgiveness. Jesus bears God’s wrath, and we receive peace. Jesus enters our suffering, and we receive hope. This is comfort rooted in propitiation and presence.

Notice Jesus’ character. He is gentle and humble in heart. That means he is safe to come to when we are broken. He does not shame us for our weakness. He invites us to trust him.

For those longing for comfort, this passage reminds us that rest is not found in distractions or denial. It is found in a relationship with Jesus. As we walk with him, learn from him, and trust him, we discover that even in a fallen world, our souls can find rest.

COMMA Questions

• Context: What burdens were people carrying during Jesus’ ministry?
• Observation: What promises does Jesus make to the weary?
• Meaning: What does it mean to take Jesus’ yoke upon ourselves?
• Main Idea: How does Jesus give true rest to burdened people?
• Application: What burden do you need to bring to Jesus today?

Prayer
Jesus, we come to you weary and burdened. Teach us to trust you and to rest in your gentle care. Give us rest for our souls. Amen.