Upper Loft Meditation - 1 Thessalonians 1:3
May 6, 2008
In the midst of our struggles, you may hear the exhortation from a friend, “keep on keeping on!” There are many thoughts that may run through your mind.
- My friend does not understand my struggles.
- I don’t have anything more to give. I am done.
- They don’t know how I feel. The pain and disappointment is overwhelming.
- What I am doing will take a miracle.
Paul, in his prayer for the believers at Thessalonica, gives the right perspective for our struggles and for how to encourage those who labor valiantly for the work of the Lord.
Paul prays here and elsewhere that the living hope they have in the Lord Jesus Christ will cause them to renew their strength, to embolden their confidence in what God will do, and to receive the peace that God gives through their hope in Him in the midst of the storm.
Paul’s prayer is not to remove the difficulties but to enable them to stand with God’s staying power through the stress and hardship.
“Endurance” can also be translated “patience.” It is a patience that will wait upon the Lord for His resolution. It is not a call to shut down and wait, but to continue on with great expectation for what the Lord will do.
“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” - Psalm 130:5
Palabras de Aliento - Hebreos 10
May 2, 2008
El contexto de este gran verso da una importante perspectiva sobre como debemos vivir. El verso que le precede nos exhorta a acercarnos a Dios, “Acerquémonos, pues, a Dios con corazón sincero y con la plena seguridad que da la fe.” Debido a que el camino ha sido despejado, hemos pasado controles de seguridad, y somos invitados ante Su presencia.
El verso 23 nos exhorta a mantenernos firmes a la esperanza que proclamamos. Nuestra profesión de fe es ser un testigo de palabra y hecho a la fidelidad de Dios. Lo que decimos debe concordar con la forma en que vivimos. Mantente firme.
Debes pensar que tu firmeza espiritual no es muy fuerte. Amenazas de la fe que se mofan de tus creencias, salpicaduras de pecado en tu lugar de trabajo, tu firme chisporroteo todo esto amenaza tu habilidad de sostenerte firme. Pero Dios te sostiene. Es el poder de su firmeza que te habilitará para perseverar. Sujetate firme a Su fidelidad. Usa tu cinturón espiritual.
El verso 24 continua con una tercera exhortación “Preocupémonos los unos por los otros, a fin de estimularnos al amor y a las buenas obras.” Al sujetarnos firme del Señor, debemos estimular, provocar, incitarnos los unos a los otros a realizar acciones cristocéntricas hacia otras personas. En otras palabras, bajo la luz de la fidelidad de Dios y nuestra esperanza segura en sus promesas debemos provocarnos mutuamente a hacer actos de amor y misericordia.
Nuestra esperanza nos da confianza para seguir valientemente el ejemplo de Cristo.
“…me no Jesus, Slava no Jesus…”
May 2, 2008
(Continued from last week’s “Street Kid Stories” by Benjamin Bradley)
Slava was anxious and afraid to leave but the time finally came when he needed to say good-bye. Slava took that long walk down toward the street. He stopped and paused just as he was about to turn the corner and go out of sight. He turned around for a moment. It was as if he were pausing to see if there might be a another way no one had ever thought of before for him to stay, but the options had dried up. The only option left for him was to continue to walk all night and sleep in the office chairs. How could anyone ask him to give up the only bed he had a chance to sleep in?
After a year of fighting and struggling to believe in his new faith, he was far too tired to fight anymore. Finally, Slava’s shoulders fell and he turned and rounded the corner.
Would the words of God still remain in his little mind and heart through the many hard years we was facing in front of him? This kid had just been forced out of a safe situation by the powers of hell. All that could be done was watch him walk away because of a simple lack of a bed. It is hard enough to leave kids still wanting to sniff glue on the streets but how much harder when a child has become your brother in Christ.
Slava appeared again the next day. Somehow during the course of the night the Holy Spirit had given him the strength. With nothing but the promise that had been shared with him from the Bible almost a year ago, Slava decided to leave his friends who offered him a bed in exchange for renouncing Jesus.
Slava is currently living with an old lady who knew his mother. He has a bed for the winter, but more importantly, he still has his Jesus.
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