Paul speaks here about the anxiety he felt for the Christians in Thessalonica over his own suffering. As he suffered persecution, he could not help worrying about the saints in Thessalonica and their faith life. He therefore sent Timothy to check on them, and he was delighted at Timothy’s good report.
Paul says he is not surprised by the suffering and persecution he has faced, and they should not be surprised either. Paul forewarned them that this was bound to happen, and now it has.
What expectations do you have about your journey of faith? Do we expect that everything will be easy and that we will be popular for standing up for the Gospel? If that is what we expect, on what do we base that expectation? It seems to me, that the only real glimpse we receive from Christ on our future in this life does not lend itself to these expectations! If we have been promised by Jesus that the world will hate us just like it hated him, if we hear him say “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!" John 16:33b, why would we presume the opposite?
Lord, help me today to gain a realistic view of the call that I am trying to live into.
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2 comments:
I can feel Paul's joy to hear of the faithful community. He must indeed feel a sense of relief - and some warranted pride - to know things are going well.
I know how it feels to worry about others in their faith when you can’t get in touch with them. With sharing faith with high school kids, I often worry that when they go out in the world they will give in to the temptations the devil is offering. It seems like so much is against me and the faith in this world.
But, you’re right, and Paul is right, we do, and should, expect persecution. It’s out there, we’re told if it, and it happens! “Nobody said it was easy, but we’ve got nothing to fear, for God is willing and able, when our heart is ready to hear” – a song I sang in Youth Choir some time. There are success stories, and there are failures. I touched base with a kid the other day who stopped coming to YL about six months ago. I wasn’t surprised with what he had to say – he is deep in drugs, and he said he hates Liverpool because everyone here is a liar and blah blah – wants to start a new life and move to CA. He’s still got a year and a half in high school, but it seemed like the new life he wants he already knows about, he just needs to accept it. I tried to mention it to him, but he didn’t want to hear it.
The faith is in him, he will get it eventually. Out work was not in vain.
Vs. 15 ended the chapter well “May he strengthen your hears so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” I think that was well said.
MARSH
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