“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”
2Thessalonians 2:16-17
Today’s verse passage is among the most beautiful, powerful, and profound benedictions in all the Bible. Though it is part of a personal letter from Paul in which he expressed his well-wishes for fellow Christians, it is first and foremost an expression of God’s heart on the matter. Paul’s letters are replete with references to their inspired nature and divine authority. “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual,” wrote Paul, “let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). When we assess our own thought lives, speech, and conduct, we get an awful sense of how far from the glory of God we have fallen. We may be tempted to doubt God’s love for us, especially when we couple our performance with the various trials we may be facing. God intends that today’s verse passage be a reminder that He loved us first (1 John 4:19) and that His love is steady, unchanging, dependable. As an expression of His love for us, our God has secured our redemption at an enormously high price (1 Peter 1:18). This redemption, and all of its attending benefits, is forever. Nothing can snatch us from the hand of the One Who saved us from our sins (John 10:28-30). God’s tender ministry towards us has granted everlasting consolation. Whereas the world and its promises are tentative, fragile, and uncertain, God’s promises to His redeemed are rock-solid and unalterable. We have a hope for the future that will not—in fact, cannot—disappoint (Romans 5:5). These matchless blessings are expressions of God’s amazing grace towards us. We could never earn God’s favor, but praise the Lord, He has extended saving grace to fallen humanity, even to those who made themselves His enemies. This God-inspired benediction is intended to be a comfort to our hearts, no doubt that we might be a comfort to others also (2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; 4:28; 5:11, 14). God intends that His words to us give us strength and resilience, making us immovable and unstoppable in our God honoring work on the earth. May these things be true of us today, for the Redeemer’s own glory and for the good of those He loves.
God bless and encourage you today, dear saints,
Pastor John
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