Saturday 13 July, 2013

23 God is the God who gives peace. May he make you holy through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept free from blame. May you be without blame from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24 The One who has chosen you is faithful. He will do all these things. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all the believers with a holy kiss. 27 While the Lord is watching, here is what I command you. Have this letter read to all the believers. 28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Paul wraps up his letter to the church with expectation!  Expectation that they will continue growing in holiness and expectation that Jesus with return (soon).  And underpinning it all is God’s faithfulness and action in both of these.

How wonderful to know that it is God’s action in me to make me more like Jesus (holy) as my walk with Him goes on and in the whole of me, spirit, soul and body – not just one part.  I’m so glad that I’m not left to my own devises for this to happen it’s His faithfulness to me that it is happening.  Because I can actually see this for myself – I know that Jesus will return – it’s not a maybe but certainty – 2 certain things, God’s action in me and Jesus’s return – they go hand in hand. Wow, what complete peace that brings, no wonder Paul begins this with the “God of peace”.

Thank you Father for your unending faithfulness to us – to me.  Thank you that you’re so continually working in me, even without me realising it that all striving can just melt away to peace … and because of this evidence, I know Jesus will return.

Written by Suzie Hodgson