Critical Comforts

When we think of comforts we usually think of material things. A house with plenty of room, the latest technology to keep us warm, cool, fed and at ease. Plenty of food, plenty of time and plenty of choices. A comfort may be as simple as the right pillow or as complicated as the most appropriate digital reading device.

But have you ever considered the comfort of truth?

I have been doing a little thinking about a lady many of you have heard of and many of you probably haven't. Fanny J. Crosby was an American woman born in 1820 who lost her vision as a very young child due to illness and a doctor who was unqualified to treat her. Many young people would grow bitter and callous after such circumstances but Fanny drew a strength from her family and her education that caused her to become one of the most prolific hymn writers of all time. In her lifetime she wrote over 9,000 hymns, poems and ballads.

Her life at a glance isn't remembered for it's comforts. The thought of going through life without the ability to see is a horror to some of us. Yet her story continues to resonate with millions of souls who share her love of God's grace, mercy and truth.

In reading the words she wrote I am often struck with the absence of any loss of experience or joy. She seemed to have an abundance of supernatural joy and comfort.

One of the many interesting things that I have read about Fanny Crosby is that she was raised by her grandmother who felt it imperative that Fanny learn Scripture. Possibly due to her blindness and the inability to pick up a Bible from anywhere and skim it's pages for truth, I don't know what her entire motivation was but the point is that she understood it's importance to her granddaughter. Fanny Crosby memorized entire chapters and books of the Bible. She was saturated in the Words of God and had an intimate knowledge of their truth, their joy, their comforts and their passion.

If you have the opportunity to read more about Fanny Crosby you will encounter a soul with vision far beyond mortal eyes. She could not deny light and color just because she could not see them. She chose to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty and her soul was given rest in the comforts that her body could not provide her.

I cannot help but believe as I think about a life like that of Fanny Crosby, that there is a comfort far more critical to us than our mortal bodies can imagine. The comfort of the truth is a warmth when we have grown cold, a cool breeze when we have been overwhelmed, a shade when we have been exposed and a light when we have been deceived. The comfort of truth will outlast any experience and can be drawn from to dispel any myth, temptation or distraction. Truth will blanket us when we need comfort and will free us when we are bound. But Truth will not invade us, it will only be available if we make the effort to invite it in.

Col. 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Take the time today to let the Truth of God's Word sing inside you. Give comfort a song by feeding your soul the Words of Truth from God's Word. Let Truth be the source of your joy and then shout it back to the Lord with your whole heart.

Psalm 33:1 "Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful."

"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God.
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angles descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love."

~Fanny J. Crosby