Our Scripture reading today is 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17,
"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work."
The word, consolation, means a calling near, a comfort, a solace. We can start every day with this reminder: God is near. He wants to comfort us and give us strength. This truth is not every now and then, but it is everlasting. Knowing God is near should cause our faith to increase and be strengthened. While we fail; He never fails. While we are weak; He is all powerful.
Whatever you are facing today or in the coming days, remember, you are not facing them alone. In addition, we can join together in praying these verses of Scripture on the behalf of the persecuted Christians around the world and especially today in Afghanistan. They are in great need of knowing that God is near and will never leave them nor forsake them. Romans 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."