RE Verse reading–Matthew 3 (day six) When John the Baptist identifies himself as “a voice calling in the wilderness”(vs 3) he was quoting Isaiah 40 which begins with these words, ” ‘Comfort, oh comfort my people’, says your God” (vs 1) Strange because in some ways John was anything but a comfort to the people and institutions of Israel. He called them to confess sin! He was more convicting than comfortable. It is a reminder that part of God’s comfort is to convict of sin, to face painful realities about ourselves which may be short-term painful but long-term beneficial. A holy God can NEVER bless an unrighteousness. He must challenge sin! When God disturbs/upsets us it is often a precursor to His help. “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards if yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11) May we welcome His conviction as an indication of His love!
