1 Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

There are few things better that receiving comfort in just the right moment or season in life. When facing strife, pain, confusion or grief we know the feeling of comfort that arrives through encouraging words from a friend or affirmation from someone we respect. I have experienced comfort in many ways through many relationships, but none that run as deep and certain as the comfort that comes from knowledge of God’s love for me.

Brennan Manning, author of Ragamuffin Gospel says, “My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.” This thought, this truth brings me comfort. God’s love isn’t reserved for the deserving or the privileged, he gives his love generously and overflowing to all his creation, including you and I, this brings us the gift of comfort. 

Advent is a time when I celebrate the arrival of Jesus, the visible “image” of the “invisible God” (Colossians 1).  I rejoice in Jesus arriving to the “harassed” and “shepherd-less” (Matthew 9), those, like you and I, in need of comfort — true comfort, not hollow religion. Advent is the moment that this true comfort took on flesh and began his mission to seek and save all of us. Advent is the time that I embrace that I am called by Jesus into His mission, to be a signpost of this true comfort, a signpost that tells of his gospel of love, forgiveness, and adoption into His family.

— Adam Harvey