A COMFORTING WORD

The people of Israel were struggling. They had been taken captive by the Assyrian army and forced to live in a foreign country. What could Isaiah, a man of God, give these worn out people to help them?

He gave them a promise of hope. It was a message from God about the coming Saviour. In Isaiah 50:4, the Saviour Himself describes the comfort and relief He would one day bring: “The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.”

These were words of double comfort—both to the people in exile and to us today, whose lives have been changed by Jesus’ compassion. In the Gospels we see how Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s words with “the word that sustains the weary”. To the crowds who followed Him, Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (MATTHEW 11:28). What words of love!

Jesus left us an example of how to look after people who feel down and out. Do you know someone who needs encouragement or the listening ear of a friend? A comforting word can go a long way.

To pray about . . .

Father, help me to give comfort to my friends, family and classmates when they are down. May they see the love of Jesus when I do.

LOOKING OUT FOR THOSE IN NEED SHOWS THEM THE LOVE OF JESUS

YouTh Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries