Hear It on Sunday, Use It on Monday: WHO is the Comforter?

Our Pastor is on vacation...and although I'd heard this particular special speaker before...He didn't do what I expected.  Generally, he has a very musical and intensely busy program planned.  But, yesterday...he simply shared from his own life experience...a part of his life and God's sanctifying work in it.  And it was powerful. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."    2 Cor. 1:3-4  

I am using my Kindle Fire in church all the time now...and when I highlighted the word WHO...my husband snickered.  I gave him a questioning look and he whispered that he thought I was looking for the definition of the word.  For those of you who don't know if you select a word the Kindle will give you the definition and the ability to highlight it. 

Funny thing is...in a way...he was right.  I've read this passage quite a few times in my life...and yet...I think I forget WHO my Comforter really is...

What was SO neat about this passage...that I'd never recognized before... is the presence of the entire Trinity.  Vs. 3...God our Father...of our Lord JESUS Christ (Son)...Wait you say, there's no Holy Spirit.  Well, our speaker pointed out that Comforter is the Holy Spirit's main role and title.  Remember John 14: 26, "But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."

Some of the hard questions he asked us to consider were...

How do you receive comfort?  Do you willingly receive it during times of tribulation and adversity?  He told us that a greater blessing cannot be appreciated until we go through certain things...things only the Perfect God has planned for us.  We can't say we want to grow spiritually and know Him more deeply and then buck and complain when adversity or trials come.

Our speaker shared many hymns and their history throughout his message.  I always find this fascinating.  He told of a young girl named Esther Kerr Rusthoi, who in 1941 was an invalid...and while bedridden had written a refrain in her prayers for the Comforter's comfort.  With the encouragement of her brother, Philip Kerr, a hymn writer she added some more verses and we now sing....
 

Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,
We’re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;
But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,
All tears forever over in God’s eternal day.

Refrain:
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,
We’re tossed and driven on, no human help in sight;
But there is one in heav’n who knows our deepest care,
Let Jesus solve your problem – just go to Him in pray’r.

Life’s day will soon be o’er, all storms forever past,
We’ll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last;
We’ll share the joys of heav’n – a harp, a home, a crown,
The tempter will be banished, we’ll lay our burden down.