by J. R. Miller
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
"Comfort, comfort My people. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of servitude is over, her iniquity has been pardoned, and she has received from the Lords hand double for all her sins." Isaiah 40:2
There is need always for tender words. Always there is sorrow. Everywhere hearts are breaking. There is no one who is not made happier by gentle speech. Yet there is in the world, a dearth of tender words. Some people scarcely ever speak them. Their tones are harsh. There seems no kindness in their hearts. They are gruff, severe, faultfinding. Even in the presence of suffering and sorrow, they evince no tenderness. "Speak tenderly" is a divine exhortation. That is the way God wants us to speak to each other. That is the way God himself ever speaks to his children. The Bible is full of tender words. We would say that in view of the wickedness of men, their ingratitude, the base return they make for God's goodness, the way they stain the earth with sin—God would be angry with them every day. But instead of anger, only love is shown.
He is ever speaking in words of loving kindness. He makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends the rain on the just and the unjust. Every message he sends is love. All his thoughts toward his children are peace. The most wonderful expression of his heart toward the world, was in the giving of Christ. He was the Word, the revealer of the heart of God. He never spoke so tenderly to men—as when he sent his Son. Who can measure the comfort that was given to the world in Jesus Christ? Never an unkind word fell from his lips, never a frown was seen on his brow. Think of the tender words he spoke in his mother's home. He was a sinless child, never giving way to angry words or violent tempers. His youth and manhood were without a trace of unlovingness.
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Table of Contents
Speak Tenderly
The Ministry Of Comport
How Christ Comports His Friends
Be Of Good Cheer
Does God Care?
You Will Not Mind the Roughness
Why Does No One Ever See God?
The One Who Stands by
After Bereavement—what?
Comfort Through Personal Helpfulness
Christ and I Are Friends
More than Conquerors
Reaching for the Mountain Splendors
Life's Open Doors
Some Lessons on Spiritual Growth
The Thanksgiving Lesson
The Indispensable Christ
In That Which Is Least
Portions for Those Who Lack
Slow and Steady Advance the Best
What to Do with Our Unequal Chance
If Two of You Shall Agree
When We Are Laid Aside
Face to Face with One's Own Life
The Meaning of Immortality