Destiny!
Reflection: We
talk quite a bit about the word destiny.
Sometimes it is used in a romantic sense of we were destined to find our
love of our life. Or it is destiny that
we are together. Today Paul uses this
word in a little different sense. He
tells the church in Thessalonica, that they are destined for trials. He had warned them of the persecution they
would face as believers, especially from the Jews, who though they were leaving
the true faith. Paul was truly concerned
that this persecution would cause them to be tempted to leave the faith, but as
it turns out Timothy relays that indeed they were standing strong in spite of
these trials.
2 We
sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading
the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so
that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we
are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we
kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as
you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no
longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the
tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.
We often note the benefits of becoming a believer in
Christ. Eternal life, peace with God,
and ability to love others with the same love that sent Jesus to the cross as
we should! But we also know following
Christ can cause others to look down on us and there will be times we will feel
persecuted for following Jesus. As we
live out the values that Jesus lived out, there will be times we will be
misunderstood. As we go against the flow of the culture, we will sometimes feel
out of place, almost like a misfit. If
we never face any kind of persecution for our faith, we might wonder if we are
truly living a life worthy of our calling.
It is not as if we should be inviting persecution, but we shouldn’t be
surprised if we encounter it.
And this is where we need the encouragement of other
believers. This is why “lone-ranger”
Christianity doesn’t work. As we face
trials of many kinds we need the encouragement of God’s Word reminding us of
who we are, we need prayer to help us through it, and other brothers and
sisters in Christ to come along side of us.
In a world that increasingly is moving away from a Christian worldview
don’t be surprised by persecution and in fact expect it. But as we face know that many soldiers of
Christ have gone before us and the testing of our faith actually makes it more
mature in Christ. And, of course, most
importantly Jesus promises us He will never leave us or forsake us. That is a promise we can cling to until He
returns in great and promised glory!
Amen.
Psalm 93
1 The Lord reigns, he is robed in
majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
2 Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
2 Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.
3 The seas have lifted up, Lord,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is mighty.
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the Lord on high is mighty.
5 Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
holiness adorns your house
for endless days.
holiness adorns your house
for endless days.
Jeremiah 2:20-3:13
20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke
and tore off your bonds;
you said, ‘I will not serve you!’
Indeed, on every high hill
and under every spreading tree
you lay down as a prostitute.
21 I had planted you like a choice vine
of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
into a corrupt, wild vine?
22 Although you wash yourself with soap
and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;
I have not run after the Baals’?
See how you behaved in the valley;
consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
running here and there,
24 a wild donkey accustomed to the desert,
sniffing the wind in her craving—
in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
at mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run until your feet are bare
and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!
I love foreign gods,
and I must go after them.’
and tore off your bonds;
you said, ‘I will not serve you!’
Indeed, on every high hill
and under every spreading tree
you lay down as a prostitute.
21 I had planted you like a choice vine
of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
into a corrupt, wild vine?
22 Although you wash yourself with soap
and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;
I have not run after the Baals’?
See how you behaved in the valley;
consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
running here and there,
24 a wild donkey accustomed to the desert,
sniffing the wind in her craving—
in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
at mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run until your feet are bare
and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!
I love foreign gods,
and I must go after them.’
26 “As a thief is disgraced when he is
caught,
so the people of Israel are disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
their priests and their prophets.
27 They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’
and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs to me
and not their faces;
yet when they are in trouble, they say,
‘Come and save us!’
28 Where then are the gods you made for yourselves?
Let them come if they can save you
when you are in trouble!
For you, Judah, have as many gods
as you have towns.
so the people of Israel are disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
their priests and their prophets.
27 They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’
and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs to me
and not their faces;
yet when they are in trouble, they say,
‘Come and save us!’
28 Where then are the gods you made for yourselves?
Let them come if they can save you
when you are in trouble!
For you, Judah, have as many gods
as you have towns.
29 “Why do you bring charges against me?
You have all rebelled against me,”
declares the Lord.
30 “In vain I punished your people;
they did not respond to correction.
Your sword has devoured your prophets
like a ravenous lion.
You have all rebelled against me,”
declares the Lord.
30 “In vain I punished your people;
they did not respond to correction.
Your sword has devoured your prophets
like a ravenous lion.
31 “You of this generation, consider the
word of the Lord:
“Have I been a desert to Israel
or a land of great darkness?
Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;
we will come to you no more’?
32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number.
33 How skilled you are at pursuing love!
Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
34 On your clothes is found
the lifeblood of the innocent poor,
though you did not catch them breaking in.
Yet in spite of all this
35 you say, ‘I am innocent;
he is not angry with me.’
But I will pass judgment on you
because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Why do you go about so much,
changing your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt
as you were by Assyria.
37 You will also leave that place
with your hands on your head,
for the Lord has rejected those you trust;
you will not be helped by them.
or a land of great darkness?
Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;
we will come to you no more’?
32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number.
33 How skilled you are at pursuing love!
Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
34 On your clothes is found
the lifeblood of the innocent poor,
though you did not catch them breaking in.
Yet in spite of all this
35 you say, ‘I am innocent;
he is not angry with me.’
But I will pass judgment on you
because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Why do you go about so much,
changing your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt
as you were by Assyria.
37 You will also leave that place
with your hands on your head,
for the Lord has rejected those you trust;
you will not be helped by them.
3 “If a man divorces his wife
and she leaves him and marries another man,
should he return to her again?
Would not the land be completely defiled?
But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—
would you now return to me?”
declares the Lord.
2 “Look up to the barren heights and see.
Is there any place where you have not been ravished?
By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers,
sat like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled the land
with your prostitution and wickedness.
3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,
and no spring rains have fallen.
Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute;
you refuse to blush with shame.
4 Have you not just called to me:
‘My Father, my friend from my youth,
5 will you always be angry?
Will your wrath continue forever?’
This is how you talk,
but you do all the evil you can.”
and she leaves him and marries another man,
should he return to her again?
Would not the land be completely defiled?
But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—
would you now return to me?”
declares the Lord.
2 “Look up to the barren heights and see.
Is there any place where you have not been ravished?
By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers,
sat like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled the land
with your prostitution and wickedness.
3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,
and no spring rains have fallen.
Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute;
you refuse to blush with shame.
4 Have you not just called to me:
‘My Father, my friend from my youth,
5 will you always be angry?
Will your wrath continue forever?’
This is how you talk,
but you do all the evil you can.”
Unfaithful Israel
6 During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord
said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on
every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery
there. 7 I thought that after she had done all this she would
return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. 8 I
gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of
all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she
also went out and committed adultery. 9 Because Israel’s immorality
mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with
stone and wood. 10 In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister
Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares
the Lord.
11 The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel
is more righteous than unfaithful Judah. 12 Go, proclaim this
message toward the north:
“‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will not be angry forever.
13 Only acknowledge your guilt—
you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods
under every spreading tree,
and have not obeyed me,’”
declares the Lord.
‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will not be angry forever.
13 Only acknowledge your guilt—
you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods
under every spreading tree,
and have not obeyed me,’”
declares the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 3
3 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it
best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who
is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of
Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so
that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we
are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we
kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as
you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no
longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the
tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy has just now come to us
from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us
that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just
as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters,
in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of
your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing
firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in
return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night
and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking
in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our
Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord
make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just
as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that
you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our
Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; you have given the commandment to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:3 (NKJV)
Christ says, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Holy Father, you are our rock and our fortress. Guide us through the burdens of our days. Upon you we lay our faith. Help us be strong when we are weary and steadfast through our daily tests. You are our strength. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment