“As I stepped from inside the warm auditorium of the Fort Deposit Church of Christ onto the windy and cold front porch, it hit me – hard.  I don’t mean the temperature difference, although the warm 68° in the auditorium made the late January (1969) 28° temperature outside feel mean.  What hit me was the absence of Grandpa (P.J. Crenshaw).  He had died just two days before and his funeral was scheduled to be held in that same church building in about two hours on Sunday afternoon.  For all 16 years of my life, he had been there at church.  When we were in Fort Deposit on weekends, I securely sat between Grandma on my right and Grandpa on my left.  After worship he was always leaning on one of the rails on the front porch talking to other farmers about rain (or lack thereof), politics, or football.  Today he was conspicuously absent.

Almost immediately I felt an arm on my shoulder and a strong hug.  I looked up and through my tears I saw Dawson Moorer there beside me.  He walked me to our car where we talked and waited for the others in my family to arrive.  Dawson’s support that day was invaluable.  Dawson and JoAnn had driven from Mobile to Fort Deposit for Grandpa’s funeral.

The word “comfort” in the New Testament is often translated from a compound term that literally means “to call to one’s side.”  When Ricky was hurting, Dawson Moorer came to his side to comfort him.

When we were lost in sin, Jesus “came to our side.”  He took the burden of our sin upon Himself and took it to the cross where He died for the sins of the world.  The Apostle Peter wrote to Christians: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24 NIV).  Because of His atoning death, we can have comfort and assurance that our sin debt has been paid and we are reconciled with God – if we accept His offer on His terms.

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His word (1 John 1:7-9).

When we were at our lowest, Jesus came alongside us to save us.  He was the only Person that could save us, and He did it at just the right time (Galatians 4:4).  His offer of consoling grace is available to you – if you will trust and obey Him.