Isaiah 11:10 English Standard Version (ESV) In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

We sit in the back of the car which Christ is driving crying out “Are we there yet?”

That is what it feels like when along this journey we fail to read the signs that say 100 miles to heaven. In chapters 11 and 12 of Isaiah there are many signs and as 11:24 says Christ shall put up a signal. Failing to read the signs is as much a failure as being unable to read. So we ask, “Are we there yet?”

Some of those signs are not for us specifically. God deals with all mankind and to be fair to everyone, they too deserve a sign. There are symbolisms that mean nothing to us because there is nothing in us to relate to the sign. That doesn’t mean we have to ignore the sign. We are not on this journey alone.

Trying to relate to passages written so long ago in terms of current events is difficult. Those words held relevant meaning to a people and a place long gone and there is little documentation about how those people related to the Word. We have the author to rely on during these times and we should ask. The only question is this; are we asking the right questions?

Are we there yet indicates that we only care about the final destination. It ignores the others in the vehicle. It indicates a failure to make the most out of the journey. We are sojourners in a foreign land and fail to enjoy the wonders around us.

Teach me O Lord what I need by the power of Your Holy Spirit.

The immature do not even know what to ask. That doesn’t change just because we get older.

2 Corinthians 1:6 English Standard Version (ESV) If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

Look carefully at the words “same sufferings”. There are things which comfort us which might not comfort others. They might ever make them uncomfortable. These comforts to be shared have to be from shared experiences. Each of our experiences can be different even though many are exactly the same.

We must be careful in sharing comforts if we do not recognize the same suffering. The Lord does not wish for us to distress others.

2 Corinthians 12:1-7 English Standard Version

Paul’s Visions and His Thorn

¹I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. ³ And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴ and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. ⁵ On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— ⁶ though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. ⁷ So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

Some truths do not comfort others. The purpose behind this section is to restrain us from harming others.