May the Lord lead your hearts to express God’s love and Christ’s endurance.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:5
Keeping things going in life, when life is turned upside down can be difficult. Yet, as we focus on what needs to be done, what happens is we become short-sighted (in a good way) with our goals. We remove the distractions, and simply focus on the task in front of us. Sometimes that task seems overwhelming, but we keep at it, knowing and believing that we will make it through.
Our faith gets like that sometimes, I am finding that out now, feeling one-task-focused as we prepare everything for our first Sunday worship service, together. Today, I am reminded of the diligent work urged by the apostle Paul to the Thessalonian church.
The saints in this church, workers for God’s kingdom had stopped at nothing to share the gospel and organize a church among the people. God’s plan of action to go to the ends of the earth with the message of Christ was being carried out by these people, and they were exhausted. It is at this point of exhaustion that many just want to give up, many want to argue and grumble, and others just want to leave and sit in quite all by themselves. However, it is in this moment, when we are battle weary and worn out that we focus more intently on the cross. Paul prays here for the people to have hearts to express God’s love and Christ’s endurance to do so.
When they hung Christ on the cross to crucify him for nothing of his own doing, but for our sin, He must have had amazing endurance to not stop it all, because that would have been within His power. When they beat Him, mocked Him, lead Him to the place of the Skull, He could have decide to be done, but He endured. Christ had the endurance even after all this, to hang on that cross for 6 hours, struggling for each breath, and taking on the full weight of the judgment of God that though Him we might be saved.
It is this endurance that Paul used to encourage the Thessalonians to keep going, and it is by this endurance that I continue to serve God. By this same endurance I want to encourage you in the ministries in which you are a part, or the ministries in which you can help with in the coming weeks. Perhaps you need to be reminded of the love in which you first started to serve, or perhaps you need to know that you are appreciated. In any regard, I hope you know that God sees your good deeds, and He knows the love by which you serve your church, and He is well pleased. Keep up the ministry folks, and know that God’s love will continue to be poured into your hearts to overflowing, and you will have the endurance to make it through all of life’s struggles through Christ who strengthens you.
Grace & Peace,
Sam