Lives Worthy of God

        In 1 Thessalonians 2:12 we read about, “encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”

        In this regard, I think back to the days when I was first saved as a young teenager. The Bible was exciting and I wanted to learn everything I could.

        But then, as I grew older, some of my Christian friends started dropping out of the picture. The road became too hard to walk, or the doctrine became too fanciful to believe, or there was more money to be made across the road, or the burdens of life were more than a loving God would ever impose on you.

        Sadly, as I read many parts of the Old Testament, this was the direction that I got dragged in, too!  But this is poison, so let me quote just a few of many antidotes.

·         Job: “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth…in my flesh I will see God.” (19:25-26)

·         David: “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

·         Peter: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life?” (John 6:68)

·         “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55)

·         Paul: “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” (2 Tim.1:12)

·         Jesus: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” (John 15:9)

·         Jesus: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!” (Rev.1:17-18)

        My conclusion is that hanging in there, standing by the Lord and putting aside things that are past, will result in wonder and glory that we can never imagine. Paul puts it better than I ever could: “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”  (Romans 8:31-32)