Awaiting the Day of the Lord
Daniel Friess, Elder
| I’m sure we’ve all been thinking about the state of our country for the last week. As I consider the events, the attitudes, and the potential futures, I’ve been thinking about the places we go as Christians for the work we’re called to. I’m thinking especially about the missionaries we send and our brothers and sisters in other countries. My sister and her family are making plans to move to Scotland, where they were told on their visit that they never have a choice but to vote for someone who supports abortion. We send international workers to socialist countries in Latin America with high social disparity and other socialist states in Europe with broader economic prosperity, both of which desperately need people who are sharing the Gospel and encouraging the Church. We support people in the Middle East and North Africa who must take care how openly they share their faith for fear of being kicked out of the country, kidnapped, or killed. We send international workers to West Africa to share the Gospel through medical missions and education, since basic social structures and needs aren’t ensured by the government. I’ve also been thinking about more divided times in American history. It’s estimated that up to the American Revolution around 20% of colonists supported their government (the king), perhaps 45% supported a revolution, and around 30% were neutral. There’s certainly a lot of tension in our families and churches, but translate those numbers to today. Imagine that a third of us supported a radical overthrow of the left, a third of us supported a radical overthrow of the right, and a third of us quietly wished the issue would go away. Things aren’t great, and we have things to work through. But, things aren’t nearly as drastic as they have been or are for most Christians throughout most of the world through most of history. As we await the Day of the Lord in all our circumstances, meditate on Paul’s encouragement. Open your Bible to I Thessalonians 5 and mark every command Paul gives. Waiting isn’t fearful and passive. Nor is it political. We have work to do. |
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass
I Thessalonians 5:1-24
