Today’s devotion comes from Acts 20:1-12. Here is a link to the full text.
We will focus on the following verses 7 through 12.
“7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together.
9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead.
10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”
11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left.
12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.” Acts 20:7-12.
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We can be comforted by as little as by food. We can be comforted by fellowship and comforting words. Here, in today’s Scripture, they were “greatly comforted” by the recovery of the boy.
Comfort is a theme of Scripture. God is “God of all comfort”. “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.”
Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
“17 O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?
20 You who have shown me many troubles and distresses
Will revive me again,
And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my greatness
And turn to comfort me.” Psalm 71:17-21.
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?
20 You who have shown me many troubles and distresses
Will revive me again,
And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my greatness
And turn to comfort me.” Psalm 71:17-21.
Psalm 86:17
“Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.”
“Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.”
Psalm 119:50
“This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.”
“This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.”
Psalm 119:52
“I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O LORD, And comfort myself.”
“I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O LORD, And comfort myself.”
Psalm 119:76
“O may Your lovingkindness comfort me, According to Your word to Your servant.”
“O may Your lovingkindness comfort me, According to Your word to Your servant.”
Isaiah 12:1
“Then you will say on that day, “ I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, And You comfort me.”
“Then you will say on that day, “ I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, And You comfort me.”
“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.”
Isaiah 49:13
“Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.”
“Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.”
Isaiah 51:3
“Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.”
“Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.”
Isaiah 51:12
“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the son of man who is made like grass,”
“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the son of man who is made like grass,”
Isaiah 52:9
“Break forth, shout joyfully together, You waste places of Jerusalem; For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.”
“Break forth, shout joyfully together, You waste places of Jerusalem; For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 57:18
“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,”
“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,”
Isaiah 61:2
“To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,”
“To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,”
Isaiah 66:11
“That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”
“That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”
Isaiah 66:13
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
Jeremiah 31:13
“Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.”
“Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.”
Zechariah 1:13
“The LORD answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words.”
“The LORD answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words.”
Zechariah 1:17
“Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”’”
“Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”’”
Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
John 14:1
[Jesus Comforts His Disciples ] “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”
[Jesus Comforts His Disciples ] “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”
Acts 9:31
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
2 Corinthians 1:5
“For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”
“For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”
“But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:6-7.
2 Corinthians 7:6
“But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;”
“But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;”
2 Corinthians 13:11
“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
Ephesians 6:22
“I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.”
“I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.”
1 Thessalonians 3:7
“for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;”
“for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;”
1 Thessalonians 4:18
“Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
“Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.
Comfort is also a theme of The Heidelberg Catechism. The Heidelberg Catechism even starts with this first question and answer:
“Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Answer. That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.
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