Never mind Ducky, let’s have a nice cup of tea

There is a picture that comes to mind, taken during the London blitz during the war. The picture is of a lady on her rooftop with a pot of tea in her hand, looking at the bombs falling. There is something so typically British about tea! When a policeman was sent to a home in Britain with bad news, the first thing they would do after having delivered the bad news, would be to put the kettle on for a cup of tea. And part of this, is that there is something comforting about coming back to something normal in the midst of chaos. But the amount and level of comfort that is available to the believer is far, far greater than a cup of tea.

In particular, our God is the God of all comfort 2 Corinthians 1:3, and the need for comfort often draws us to Him. In fact one of the names of the Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, the one called alongside to comfort and strengthen us. But it’s not just the comfort of God that is available to the Christian. Paul, in Philippians 2:1, taking it for granted that there is encouragement in Christ, and comfort in the love of the saints, uses these facts to spur us on to be Christ like. And I am appreciating this morning, the comfort I am receiving from both sources in these days.

But I would be less than honest if I did not admit that the communion of the saints is not always all that it is cracked up to be. In particular, part of why I was needing comfort in the first place, is that I am feeling the pain of a brother in Christ who has been treated quite shabbily by the church. And part of why that is so difficult for me, it is because of the echoes of how I myself I’ve been treated by those who should know better. However, when I think about this, I am reminded that one of the purposes of the church is to be a hospital for the sin sick. And it is to the church’s credit that it accepts people who are less than, shall we say, perfect. Getting healed is a process, and of course the Pharisee is alive and well and living on planet Earth!

Father, I want to thank You this morning for Your comfort, and for the comfort I receive in partnership with Your saints. But I want to pray this morning Lord, for those who are finding it difficult, for whatever reason, to find comfort in any of these places. We need your grace Lord, I need Your grace. And I need to more clearly to find the path between being unconcerned, and being bogged down by the problems and pain of others. Thank You Lord that in You all things are possible. Thank You Lord Jesus that You came to heal the brokenhearted in Your precious Name I pray Amen