The people of Israel were in crises. Their Temple in Jerusalem had been burned to the ground. Their king had been taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon. And most of the population had been forced out of their homes and sent into exile. Everything they treasured about their role as God's holy people was taken away from them, and it left them traumatized, distressed, and desparing.
Into this sad situation, God told his prophet to speak words of comfort and tenderness to his people. Don't be afraid! The Lord is coming! He's going to gather you all together, as a shepherd gathers his sheep, and bring you back home. So get ready to welcome him and his deliverance.
Like the Israelites, we all need comfort from God. Non of us is free from the sadness that can come from life in htis world. It could be the pain of an illness, the wound from a borken relationship, or the challenge of unemployment or financial stress.
No matter what we are facing, God wants to comfort us. He wants to speak tenderly to our hearts and tell us that He is with us. And more than anything else, He wants to tell us that Jesus, sho is "God with us," has opened heaven for us. We don't have to endure our challenges on our own. We don't have to go through this life doing nothing but trying our best and hoping for better days. We have access to the grace and comfort, the power and wisdom, of God himself!
So no matter how difficult or demanding life may seem, let these truths bring you comfort. Remember that nothing prevented Jesus from coming two thousand years ago and that nothing prevents Him from coming again to bring heaven down to earth. And finally, remember taht even as we wait for that time, nothing can prevent Jesus from coming into our heart