Thank You for a full day, Father—three good times of worship, an excellent homemade meal, and some downtime this afternoon. I would delight in aligning my heart with Yours on this beautiful day!
2 Thessalonians 1:1-10 (<<click here to read the passage)
As I begin this epistle, Lord, I see another aspect of Paul’s personality. It’s easy to think of Paul as a “tough-love” kind of guy. He was a great leader, and by no means did he shy away from dealing with difficult issues or situations. You chose him because of those traits, but You also chose him because he so personified Your love – he fleshed it out. He loved the church in Thessalonica, but he had to deal with some thorny issues. His love didn’t make him hesitant to correct them, and their deviation from the acceptable didn’t make him hesitant to love them. Getting to the point- he was You to them!
Lord, I would ask that You would enable me to be that kind of leader – for that matter, that those traits would emanate from me as a follower, as well. It’s easy to want to avoid difficult situations (and people), and sometimes “poking the bear” isn’t the best course of action, but sometimes, in order to move forward, things have to be addressed. Please help me to know the difference. Regardless of what the response should be, help me respond with Your love. May it be genuine, not self-seeking, or self-preserving. May it be sacrificial if need be. Help me to be a reflection of You.
(Aug 9th, 2015, Sun, 6:49 am)
Aug 4th, 2024, Sun, 4:53 pm
