December 6, 2015
Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28
23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
25Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Questions for Reflection:
The book of 1 Thessalonians ends with a prayer and a personal note from Paul. Paul’s prayer for the church is so rich. How does Paul refer to God in verse 23? What does the term “peace” mean to you? What does it mean that God would be known as the “God of peace”?
Paul very likely had the concept of shalom in mind when he wrote that phrase. Shalom, the Hebrew word often translated into English as peace, was not just the absence of conflict, but it carried within it the idea of everything being made right. Here’s a way to picture what this means in our world today. Peace would be if the conflict in Syria between the regime, the rebels and the Kurds came to an end. Shalom would not just be the end of hostilities, but when the regime cared for the concerns of the Kurds and rebels and together they worked toward the rebuilding of their country and their people.
What does Paul pray for the church at Thessalonica? He prays that we would be blameless and holy. When you read that, does that feel like it would even be possible? Our confidence that it can happen is found in verse 24. Who actually accomplishes the sanctification process in us according to verse 24? Verse 24 is one of my favorite verses in Scripture. If you can memorize it, it can be a source of strength and encouragement. Spend time today meditating on that verse today.