04.10.07

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

A 42-year-old woman in Hong Kong had a bad start to her day - she slipped while brushing her teeth and swallowed her toothbrush. She was still able to call 999 for help. Doctors were able to remove the toothbrush and the woman is reportedly doing well.

A 26-year-old woman in Sydney, Australia had a somewhat similar problem when she accidentally swallowed a teaspoon. She had the teaspoon in her mouth when she started laughing which resulted in the spoon being swallowed. It was difficult to remove, but doctors were after several tries able to remove it without invasive surgery.

Some people are injured before they even make it out of their bedrooms in the mornings. It has been reported that every year more than 125,000 people are injured by doing things like falling out of the bed, tripping over the bed, or being hurt somehow by the headboard of the bed.

In 1972, Bob Hail had made it out of bed and apparently had successfully avoided the dangers of the bed, brushing the teeth, and of eating breakfast before going skydiving. Hail was just learning how to skydive when he had perhaps his most memorable experience in life. When he jumped from the plane, his parachute did not open. When he tried to open his backup chute, it also failed. He found himself heading toward the ground at about 80 mph and nothing slowed his descent. He landed on his face. Hail later said, “I screamed. I knew I was dead and that my life was ending right then. There was nothing I could do.” Amazingly, Bob Hail was able to stand up, and walk away with only a broken nose and some missing teeth.

In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul mentions those who experience tribulation and trouble. He mentions those things because life is like that. We are going to have some tribulations and troubles while living life here on Planet Earth. Sometimes those tribulations and troubles may not turn out as well as they did for Bob Hail or for the two women who swallowed the toothbrush and the spoon. Why? Because life is like that.

The good news in all of this is that our God is a God of mercies and of “all comfort.” In the midst of living life and of experiencing all of the tribulations and troubles that life sometimes brings our way, God is able to and wants to “comfort us.” When God gives us “comfort”, we are then able to give “comfort” to others who are experiencing tribulations and troubles.

So, the next time you trip over your bed in the morning or swallow your toothbrush remember that life is like that. Remember too that your God cares about you (1 Peter 5:7) and wants to give you comfort in the midst of whatever your trouble or tribulation may be.