Towards the end of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians we find a short benediction that captures something of his longing for these first century believers. This ‘good word’ contains two qualities that are necessary if our Christian lives are to flourish in a world that does not accept the authority of Christ.
Paul’s burden for the Thessalonians is expressed in the following sentence:
“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”
(2 Thess. 3:5)
Two characteristics are required if our lives are to resemble and reflect the life of Christ.
The first is…
➡️ Devotion
“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God…”
As we reflect on the love of God we find that it becomes the inspiration for Christian living.
We spend a great deal of our lives in front of other people. And Christian ministry can have a depleting effect on our souls; the streams of our inner world can very quickly dry up. That’s why Paul’s good word to the Thessalonians is indeed timely for all believers. “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God…”
Leave to one side for a moment your various roles in this world (e.g. husband, wife, father, mother, employer, employee, etc.) and come before our Father in heaven, recognising him as the God who loves us with an everlasting love. And appreciate again the stunning, beautiful and expansive love he has for his children.
Secondly, we find Paul urging the Thessalonians to reflect on the importance of:
➡️ Discipline
“May the Lord direct your hearts…to the steadfastness of Christ.”
As we ponder the steadfastness of Christ we find motivation in Christian service.
Included in the second half of the prophecy of Isaiah are four poems that are often referred to as “the servant songs of Isaiah.” They contain vivid word pictures from the life and ministry of Jesus (written 800 years before his birth!). The third poem highlights the perseverance of Jesus in the face of much opposition:
“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;
I have not been rebellious,
I have not turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting.”
(Isaiah 50:4-9)
We have in our Lord Jesus someone who persevered through much hardship. As the Lord directs our hearts to consider this we find the impetus to keep going in Christian life and service.
The apostle Paul recognises this when he writes to Timothy,
“In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ…”
(1 Timothy 6:13-14)
Our Christian lives flow out of our devotion the Christ so “may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God…”
And they are sustained as we ponder the perseverance of Christ. “May the Lord direct your hearts…to the steadfastness of Christ.”
This is wonderfully expressed in the words of Hebrews 12:
“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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