The One Who Calls You Is Faithful, And He Will Do It
BRD REFLECTIONS:
1 Thessalonians 5 and Psalm 80 (NIV)
(Julian Lim, Precept Facilitator)
READ
In the following verses of 1 Thessalonians 5, I see God’s words of encouragement and promises to His children in the last days before His coming.
9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
OBSERVE:
Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonian believers are so true about the coming of the day of the Lord. It will come like a thief in the night; when no one knows. However, we are not to be surprised, for we are children of light and day in this world of darkness and destruction. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ in verse 9. He will sanctify us through and through and keep us blameless at His coming. He who calls us is faithful, and He will do it in verses 23 and 24. This is God’s promise of His faithfulness for His children.
APPLY:
How should we as believers live? Like the Thessalonian brothers and sisters, we are to be a real church, a pillar and support for an authentic community in the household of God. We are to be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as our helmet to live with victory in Christ until His coming in verse 8. We are to practice what Paul preached and put our faith into action. Paul’s instructions to the church are found in the verses 12-15. That is to encourage one another, build each other up. To acknowledge those who work hard, who care for us to admonish us in love. To live in peace with each other. To give help and be patient with those who are weak and not to pay back wrong for wrong, but strive to do good.
DO:
We are living in perilous times of great chaos and uncertainty. I see so much calamity and injustice in the world. I wonder how long we have to wait for His coming, for the new heaven and new earth.
As a child of God who belongs to the light and day, I will rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for me in Christ Jesus. Like Paul, I want to be able to say I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). I will claim God’s promise in verses 23-24 that our God of peace will sanctify me and keep me blameless in my spirit, soul and body until His coming. For the one who calls me is faithful, and He will do it.
PRAY:
Father God, bring me closer each day into Your presence through my daily reading of Your Holy Word. Give me strength and help me cope in this world wherever I roam. May I always be part of your real church community to live in love and peace, encouraging and caring for each other.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
