Comfort, Hope, and Rest - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17

Comfort, Hope, and Rest
Talking with brothers and sisters in Christ, we sometimes conclude saying that “God is the great Encourager.” The above verse confirms this thought with what the apostle Paul wrote to the new believers in Thessalonica in present-day Greece, which was at the time a part of Macedonia in the Roman Empire. After his visit to Thessalonica, the apostle Paul wrote them his first Epistle. However, the enemies of God’s work continued their attacks, for which reason the apostle sent them his second Epistle. It included a brief outline of prophetic events that will take place after the believers who belong to the present period of grace will have been taken away from this earth in an amazing event called “the rapture.”

The dreadful prophetic events that the unbelieving world will face afterwards are in sharp contrast to the blessed hope the believers have because of God’s grace. He is the only One who gives us “good hope,” whereas people around us do not have any real hope. That is why they need to repent and turn to the Lord Jesus to be saved. He has said, and still says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28).

If you do that, and go to Him in faith, the Lord Jesus Christ will give you true rest. He invites you to take His yoke and learn from Him. This means to submit to Him who is “gentle and lowly in heart,” not proud or harsh. He promised, “you will find rest for your souls” (v. 29). Do not refuse His kind invitation extended to you in grace and compassion. One day, He will be the righteous Judge of the universe, and no one will be able to avoid meeting Him.

Alfred E. Bouter