Patience, Comfort and Hope

UV 1248/10,000 Patience, Comfort and Hope
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Roman 15 v 4

Scriptures were written long before our time or long before even our most ancient direct ancestor on the direct instruction of God as Author both of life and life’s manual to godly men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Edifier. They were written for the benefit and use of those who heard it and wrote it down as to that generation and nation as well as believing persons all through time and space. These persons who were inspired to write became a pen in the hands of the Lord and a scribe to mankind like Ezra. At a time when there were no recording devices like today, the Holy Spirit who is also uniquely known as the Rememberancer enabled them to remember the words of Moses, of Jesus , of the various prophets and to reduce it verbatim to writing. The amazing thing is that they are as relevant and meaningful as when these were first written. They retain their original power, freshness, fragrance and flavour. They do not get obsolescent or outdated. They were written for us to learn how to live well and how to live forever. What cannot be learnt from any one book or even all the books written by the inspiration of man can be learnt in and from this one book. It teaches us to be wise, to be balanced, to be holistic, to be holy, to be perfect, to be prudent. As Henry James wrote, “Those who are most learned are those who are mighty in the scriptures.”


Three words stand out in this uni-verse: patience, comfort and hope. The instructions, admonitions and corrections of scriptures build our faith and character. It is like a sculptor’s chisel and carpenter’s awl that etches and carves out the features or aspects of our character and testimony. We learn to endure our troubles and afflictions knowing that they are temporary and that Christ has endured much greater affliction for our sake. What we are facing is only a token or a small part of what Christ endured on the cross. It builds our spiritual and emotional strength and stamina. It fills us with comfort, encouragement and hope. Where other writings of man are silent or inadequate, scriptures applies a healing balm to both our inner pain and our external wounds. On account of the engrafted and eternal Word, we will excel the physician in his profession, the businessman in his trade, the statesman in his influence, the scholar in his discipline, the thinker in his concepts. The hope the Word instills in us further gives rise to a constant and increasing spring of joy from within us. It teaches us also to be patient in affliction knowing that our present troubles will sooner or later come to an end. It also teaches us to be patient to wait to receive as God has promised in His Word.

If one does not want to learn things the hard way: the lessons of life, the secrets of success, the purpose of suffering, the wisdom that comes from our failures, failings and follies; then just turn the pages of the good book and reflect on it word by word. Much of the learning from books is effete or sterile. It expands our head knowledge but does not impact our hearts or lives or habits or relationships. But the learning from scriptures impacts us in spirit, mind and body or the totality of our existence and circumstances. It adds its flavour or salt to all the aspects of our lives. It enriches our understanding and gives us insight. The patience acts internally, the comfort acts externally, the hope draws us upward and forward.

Prateep V Philip