Speak Comfort to Jerusalem Isaiah 40:1-8

"Comfort, yes, comfort My people! Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received double for all her sins."

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places made smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

The voice said, "Cry Out!" And he said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of the Lord stands forever."

The word of the Lord, now through faith in Jesus Christ, believing in Him, raises up those who are intimidated to deny not His name; brings low those confident in their flesh, turning their confidence from their supposed ability to Him; straightens the path of the double-minded; smoothing out those who are so rough that their good intentions are difficult to receive.

Those who are being conformed to the image of the Son of God recognize when they fall short as He leads them "out into the plain" from the too-high, too-low, crooked and rough. They receive James' admonishment: "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall in to various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience(perseverance). But let perseverance have perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

(James 1:2-4)

These words comfort those devoted to reconciliation to God, now through faith in Jesus Christ; those who are devoted to becoming a "fellow servant, and among the brethren who have the testimony of Jesus".