Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Remember What God Is to You

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3.

Paul began his letter with a doxology. He certainly could not sing about his circumstances, but he could sing about the God who is in control of all circumstances. Paul had learned that praise is an important factor in achieving victory over discouragement and depression. “Praise changes things” just as much as “Prayer changes things.”

Praise Him because He is God! You find this phrase “blessed be the God” in two other places in the New Testament, in Ephesians 1:3 and 1 Peter 1:3. In Ephesians 1:3 Paul praised God for what He did in the past, when He “chose us in him [Christ]” (Ephesians 1:4) and blessed us “with every spiritual blessing.” In 1 Peter 1:3 Peter praised God for future blessings and “a living hope.” But in 2 Corinthians Paul praised God for present blessings, for what God was accomplishing then and there.

I’ve read the story of Pastor Martin Rinkart, who during the horrors of the Thirty Years’ War, faithfully served the people in Eilenburg, Saxony. He conducted as many as 40 funerals a day, a total of more than 4,000 during his ministry. Yet out of this devastating experience, he wrote a “table grace” for his children which today is often used as a hymn of thanksgiving:

Now thank we all our God,
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom His world rejoices!

Praise Him because He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is because of Jesus Christ that we can call God “Father” and even approach Him as His children. God sees us in His Son and loves us as He loves His Son (John 17:23). We are “loved by God” (Romans 1:7) because we are “blessed . . . in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

Whatever the Father did for Jesus when He was ministering on earth, He is able to do for us today. We are dear to the Father because His Son is dear to Him and we are citizens of “the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13). We are precious to the Father, and He will see to it that the pressures of life will not destroy us.

Praise Him because He is the Father of mercies! To the Jewish people, the phrase father of means “originator of.” Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) because lies originated with him. According to Genesis 4:21, Jubal was the father of musical instruments because he originated the pipe and the harp. God is the Father of mercies because all mercy originates with Him and can be secured only from Him.

God in His grace gives us what we do not deserve, and in His mercy He does not give us what we do deserve. “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22, NKJV). The New King James Version of the Bible states God’s mercy is manifold (Nehemiah 9:19), tender (Psalm 25:6), and great (Numbers 14:19). The Bible frequently speaks of the “abundance of God’s mercies and steadfast love” so inexhaustible is His supply (Psalms 5:7; 51:1; 69:13, 16; 106:7, 45; Lamentations 3:32).

To Be Continued

Adapted and modified excerpts from Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary Volume 1.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Where noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.