"And the LORD direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."
- 2 Thessalonians. 3:5
Paul is faced with a situation in this text. The church there had
received a lot of teaching about the return of the LORD. In Paul's
first letter, each chapter ends with a reference to that anticipation.
He tied this promise to the practical experience of Christian holiness,
hope, joy, and comfort. But there was a problem. It seems that the
emphasis on the second coming had been misunderstood. Apparently some
believers assumed that since He might return at any moment, it really
didn't make much sense to . . .
"And the LORD direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."
- 2 Thessalonians. 3:5
Paul is faced with a situation in this text. The church there had received a lot of teaching about the return of the LORD. In Paul's first letter, each chapter ends with a reference to that anticipation. He tied this promise to the practical experience of Christian holiness, hope, joy, and comfort. But there was a problem. It seems that the emphasis on the second coming had been misunderstood. Apparently some believers assumed that since He might return at any moment, it really didn't make much sense to till their fields and fix their houses as if they were going to be here indefinitely. Some even gave up working entirely. They closed their eyes to the example of the apostle, who had shown them that the Christian has the highest motivation for being faithful on the job.
In the light of this truth, let's check our own attitudes toward daily duty. The second coming of the LORD, if understood properly, will not kill incentive. It may help us re-align our spiritual priorities, but it won't cause us to neglect scheduling, planning, and saving for the future. We are still expected to combine working with our waiting and watching.
What would He find, should He come just now;
A faded leaf, or a fruitless bough;
A servant sleeping, an idle plow,
What would He find, should He come just now?
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Plan as if Christ's return were years away, live as if He's coming today.