When people are
saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as
suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
But you aren’t in the
dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised
when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day;
we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay
alert and be clearheaded. Night
is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the
light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as
our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
For God chose to save
us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so
that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him
forever. So
encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already
doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:3-11
My wife and I were on vacation last week, and we had an
opportunity to listen to Lakewood Church the week after the floods in Houston. Although I am not a huge fan of the
prosperity gospel, I did choose to listen this past Sunday. It was great as I listened to a story of one
of the pastors whose house had been flooded.
He said something that just shook me at my core. He said although I have lost everything, I have
everything. I realized at that moment
something powerful. Although there are
things that are tough and there are challenges ahead of me, I have nothing to
complain about for I indeed have everything.
God has given me so much, who am I to complain? In fact if someone who has ‘seemingly’ lost
everything can rise and say with conviction and confidence, “I have
everything,” I must learn to encourage others in all circumstances because I
have more than enough.
When we have salvation through Jesus Christ, we do have
everything indeed. In reading the final
chapter of Thessalonians, it is a reminder of how we are to live our lives in
expectation of Christ’s return. We do
not live in darkness, but instead, we know that there could be calm one day and
rain flooding us the next. No matter
what may be happening, we have surety that when we committed our lives to
Jesus, we have victory. That is only
half of the story.
The other is to be encouragement to others. I have heard so many negative stories about
floods, politics, and viewpoints that it could drown out everything else two
and threefold. The biggest concern of
all of this is that these are Christians who are being negative. We must not stand for this anymore. We are the light, and as representatives of
Christ, any tendency to jump to conclusions, attack before hearing the full
story (ex. Lakewood Church), or lack of showing love and empathy for His
children is unacceptable. He expects
better of us.
The greatest encouragement of all comes from understanding
the gift of God’s grace. Jesus died to
ensure we will live with Him forever.
How could we not be filled with His love and strength to carry not only
ourselves but others? Let us vow to end
the air of negativity and ill will. Let
us show the light to all who may see us being encouragers and wearers of the
armor of faith and love. Where are you
failing to assume the best with others?
How can you be more encouraging and less judgmental? My prayer is that we move forward filled with
love and encouragement knowing that even when it seems we have nothing, through
Jesus Christ we have more than enough.
Amen.
