October 31 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 5:1–12

Devotional

Today is Reformation Day. We commemorate the Protestant Reformation. The church of the Reformation explained clearly what man’s only comfort is in life and death. That is not surprising because in those days persecutions raged throughout Europe. Those were days when God’s church had little to expect of this present life. God’s people were considered to be strangers. They were imprisoned and tortured. They could be killed any day. Therefore they needed to know what their only comfort was in life and in death. This question is still important. But the people of this world have no answer to it. The philosophers can only come so far as to say that this world is a valley of tears. They give no answer to this burning question.

The word “comfort” has been a part of our vocabulary since we left Paradise. We now dole around through this world with a closed Paradise behind us and a huge precipice in front of us. We have actually become miserable people. This is a personal matter for all of us, because at the heart of the matter we all stand alone in this life. We are alone in our life and alone in our death. We have an empty soul. And our souls cry out to God because we will never have rest until we rest in God.

Let us not bypass our most vital need. Our most vital need is to be aware that we have an urgent need. We are like those of Laodicea who knew not that they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Rev. 3:17). Once we finally become aware of our wretchedness, we need comfort. And that comfort lies in Christ alone.

The comfort is that we belong not to ourselves, but to another, to the Lord Jesus Christ. We may be alone in this life, but what a comfort if we belong to Him. Then He is our Surety. He found us in our guilt. He revealed Himself to us. We have found a sure foundation. That foundation lies in the depths. That is where people with no comfort have fallen. They fell so low in sin that they did not know how matters could work out in their life. But in the depths of their lost condition they found Christ. He was waiting for them to pick them up, for He came not to save the righteous, but sinners.

If we do not have this comfort in our life it is not because it is not possible with God or that there is not fullness of grace in Him. If we do not have this comfort it is because there is no room for it in our own lives. There is no need for the Surety because we think there is no sin.

There is great blessing when we recognize our need for the Savior. Jesus paid for the debts of His people with His blood. He is with them in life and in death. No one can snatch them out of His hands. Therefore, He bore their curse. He was alone and forsaken. He had to cry out: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). For Him there was no comfort. He was cast into the depths of hell so that true comfort would be merited for poor sinners. Therefore, church of God, realize that in yourself you will be nothing, but that He will be more and more glorified. You now have comfort, but in heaven there will be a perfect comfort. There, all tears will be wiped from your faces, therefore: “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.