Paul is often known
for his firm, unwavering faith, for "standing firm in the Lord" like
the Thessalonians he commends in verse 8. Once he even boldly corrects Peter the
Rock in front of everybody, in standing up for the international brotherhood
(Gal 2:11-14). And in 1 Corinthians, on questions that brotherhood was in
danger of being divided and uncertain on (1:10-12), he boldly declares God's
commands for the whole international Church: "as in all the congregations
of the saints ... what I am writing to you is the Lord's command"
(14:33,37), "we have no other practice - nor do the churches of God"
(11:16), "I give this command (not I, but the Lord)" (7:10), ...
But there is
another side to him. His firmness of faith goes hand and hand with a beautiful
openness and flexibility. On those many questions which are not so clear-cut,
his language is much more nuanced: "I say this (I, not the Lord)" (1
Cor 7:12), "because of the present crisis, I think that it is good
that..." (v.26), "in my judgment" (v.40)... And it is this side
of him that comes across so very humanely in this chapter to the Thessalonians.
He decides when to act towards them, not because of this or that principle or
at this or that agreed time, but simply because his heart has had enough and he
"could stand it no longer" (v.1 & 5). He hears some lovely news
about them from his beloved Timothy and feels he just has to respond (v.6-7).
He prays earnestly day and night and waits to see when and how God will
"clear the way" forward (v.11).
So with both
firm faith and open minds, we pray that God will clear the way forward. We
can join in with the Advent prayer in the last two verses, that the
Lord will make our love increase and overflow (v.12) and firmly strengthen our
hearts to make us ready for when He comes again with His saints (v.13).
"For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command,
with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead
in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will
be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And
so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these
words" (4:16-18).
James
Pitts
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