Comfort

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.

  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The year was 1950 and I was eight. As my dad handed over the funny pages of the local newspaper one evening, he pointed out a new comic strip. On the spot I fell in love with the “Peanuts” gang: Snoopy on his doghouse, WWI flying ace, red scarf flying behind; Snoopy’s best friend Woodstock at the typewriter; Schroeder tickling the keys of his baby grand; Lucy in her booth, offering 5 cent “psychiatric help” instead of lemonade; Linus dragging his blanket in the dirt; Charlie Brown—you were a “good man Charlie Brown”—in the end, just for once, I wished you’d get to kick the football. For fifty years Charles M. Shulz, creator, jarred us out of complacency with his unique brand of social commentary.

 Take Linus’ security blanket for instance. Before Shulz, who deigned to dignify a piece of ratty flannel with twisted satin edging? Imagine with me in four comic frames:

·         Linus: “Oh how I hate Mondays!”

·         “Relax!” says Lucy. “How can I relax with my blanket in the wash? Why does she have to wash it anyway?! It wasn’t very dirty! I GOTTA HAVE THAT BLANKET! I can’t breathe! The walls are closing in on me! I’m getting weak! Gasp-Gasp-Help me, somebody! Help me!!!” 

·         Lucy: “Hold on! Here it comes! From the washer to the dryer to you!” Linus: “Saved!” Sigh!

·         Lucy: “In medical circles that is known as the application of a spiritual tourniquet!”

 In spiritual circles, comfort would be the appropriate terminology. While you may not remember having a “favorite” comfort object of your own, the family photos do not lie. Perhaps you even wished, like Linus, you could have carried your security blanket into your present situation:

·         Charlie Brown: “What are you going to do when you get too old to drag it around?”

·         Linus: “Who knows? I’ve been thinking seriously of having it made over into a sport coat!”

 The truth is, in spiritual circles comfort abounds. Compassion and comfort are attributes of our heavenly Father. Rest assured His blanket of comfort will never wear thin nor be relegated to the rag bag.  

O God of all comfort, Father of compassion, I clutch Your blanket of comfort to my troubles today.

Nancy P