Evening, August 11
Go To Morning Reading
“Everlasting consolation.”
2 Thessalonians 2:16
“Consolation.” There is music in the word: like David’s harp, it charms away the evil spirit of melancholy. It was a distinguished
honour to Barnabas to be called “the son of consolation”; nay, it is one of the illustrious names of a greater than Barnabas,
for the Lord Jesus is “the consolation of Israel.” “ Everlasting consolation”—here is the cream of all, for the eternity of comfort is the crown
and glory of it. What is this “everlasting consolation”? It includes a sense of pardoned sin. A Christian man has received
in his heart the witness of the Spirit that his iniquities are put
away like a cloud, and his transgressions like a thick cloud. If sin
be pardoned, is not that an everlasting consolation? Next, the Lord
gives his people an abiding sense of acceptance in Christ. The Christian
knows that God looks upon him as standing in union with Jesus. Union
to the risen Lord is a consolation of the most abiding order; it is,
in fact, everlasting. Let sickness prostrate us, have we not seen
hundreds of believers as happy in the weakness of disease as they
would have been in the strength of hale and blooming health? Let death’s arrows pierce us to the heart, our comfort dies not, for have not
our ears full often heard the songs of saints as they have rejoiced
because the living love of God was shed abroad in their hearts in
dying moments? Yes, a sense of acceptance in the Beloved is an everlasting
consolation. Moreover, the Christian has a conviction of his security.
God has promised to save those who trust in Christ: the Christian
does trust in Christ, and he believes that God will be as good as
his word, and will save him. He feels that he is safe by virtue of
his being bound up with the person and work of Jesus.