Bible Diary - 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
February 18, 2008
These words of the Apostle Paul are the words of a clear-headed realist who knows his need, sees in his life the results of the prayers of others, and doesn’t expect all who hear his message to believe. He is quite aware that his hearers include “perverse and evil people,” and they are out to get him. Reality. Behind this seemingly grim reality is the meta-reality that God is faithful. He has promised to strengthen and protect his children from evil. We can count on it.
Request for Prayer
3:1 Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, that the Lord’s message may spread quickly and be honored as in fact it was among you, 3:2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil people. For not all have faith. 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 3:4 And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing – and will do – what we are commanding. 3:5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God and the endurance of Christ.
In the previous passage Paul talked of God’s calling of His chosen ones to salvation. I can call myself a Christian only because God took the initiative to cause the unlikely chain of events that led to my conversion. There are only two alternative explanations. One is that I put it all together and decided to be saved. The other is that I live in a godless world governed by chance. I know myself well enough to reject the former, and I know enough about statistics and probability to reject the latter.
The Apostle asks with confidence for the Lord to direct His chosen toward the love of God and the endurance of Christ, because that is the way it works. God uses Paul’s words to speak to hearts prepared to receive them. Mysterious? Yes. Truth? Without a doubt. It is the true reality.
Dave, not needing TV to get real.
-sdg-
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