Living in the Spirit
November 18, 2016

Scripture Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. –2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I do need my heart comforted right now as I am sure, do many of you. I find myself deeply concerned about many issues in our state and our country; filled with uncertainty about the future; bombarded with a sense of hopelessness, highly unusual for me; and as physically drained as I am emotionally spent. Today I read I am to comfort my heart and thus strengthen it with good work and good word. Guess what; it works.

We have some wonderful young leaders blossoming before our eyes in my church, and it was just fun to watch them report their good work of administration at a council meeting where we approved a well thought out budget for next year, made some serious personal decisions, and took steps toward updating our 65-year-old playground. Mundane stuff sure, but all these steps pave the way for doing the work of Kingdom building undergirded by faith, hope, and love. God sends hope in the most unusual ways.

It is time to shake off the chains of despair that inhibit our good work and good word and go about the business of bringing hope to others through our faith and our love.

Prayer: Lord help us see the good work and hear the good word you wish us to share and give us the heart and the strength to go forth toward making your vision reality. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.