Thursday 9 March, 2017

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 God who has chosen you is faithful. He will do all these things. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 While the Lord is watching, here is what I command you. Have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. 28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

There are some great reminders in these five verses. Firstly our God is a God of peace and it is He who makes us holy. We also see that it is Paul’s hope that believers remain blameless until Christ’s return.   We are also reminded that God is faithful and able.

Paul urges the believers in Thessalonica to pray for him as well as Silas and Timothy as they travel and minister the Gospel. Paul also mentions that believers are to greet or welcome one another. It’s important to acknowledge and value one another. He also expresses the desire for his letter to be read to everyone and that no one be left out. Paul’s intentions seem very much about inclusion.

The standout for me here is that, “God is faithful!” He is totally dependable and trustworthy. What God says he will do, he will do! God’s attitude towards us is not casual. Our emotions go up and down, we disappoint others and ourselves, we get battered by circumstances, we get sick, we worry about our future or that of our family – God is faithful! God is faithful! Can’t be said enough really! We can totally rely on this truth.

Dear God, thank you for being faithful. Help me to always remember that you are always faithful no matter how old I am or what I am facing.  Amen

Written by Ps. Ainslie Woods