A mother's loving comfort can heal so much emotional or physical pain. Most people can remember being comforted by their own mothers when they were young. Isaiah is not afraid to use feminine and maternal images when speaking of God. The conquered people of Israel have suffered at the hands of their oppressors and they have endured the shame of exile. God will comfort them as a mother and will give them cause for joy. But the words are also spoken to us - regardless of what we endure, God is there for us - not to judge or condemn, but to bless, comfort, and heal.

God heals and makes all things new in Jesus Christ and that is why Paul insists that all of the things we quarrel and fret about pale in comparison to what Jesus gives to us. This is the only thing that should concern us - and the only reason for so-called boasting. Jesus is everything.

Keep moving and travel light - that is what Jesus tells the seventy. But even more than that, he insists that they must depend completely on God. There is a sense of urgency in everything that he tells them. The same urgency is still with us - it is so important to communicate to others this love of God for us here and now. Calling for more labourers is not about mere numbers - God can do far more with a few people who are committed, selfless and on fire with love.