Five Minute Friday: COMFORT

Today I'm linking up with Five Minute Friday, writing for five minutes on this week's prompt: COMFORT.

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Handel's "Messiah" is one of my favourite choral compositions. Richard and I used to attend local performances of it regularly as a Christmas tradition; we don't go as often anymore, but we have a CD of the London Symphony Orchestra and Choir performing it, so we can listen to it any time we want.

The "Hallelujah" chorus is usually considered the highlight of the piece, and it is pretty dramatic when the entire audience stands for that iconic chorus.

But my favourite part happens much earlier. It's when the Overture is finished and the tenor stands up to sing the very first words of the oratorio: 

Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, 

saith your God. 

Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, 

and cry unto her, 

that her warfare is accomplished, 

that her iniquity is pardoned. 

I find this so moving because it's as if God is speaking after a long silence. We know he has something to say to us, we're all anticipating what it might be ... and his very first words express comfort.

Forgiveness.

Reassurance.

Enouragement.

He is our God, the God of all comfort.