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Friday, August 31, 2007 Meditation 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Moved by his affection for them, Paul urged the Thessalonians to hold fast to all that he had told them not only about faith in Jesus Christ but also about how to live in a way pleasing to God (1 Thessalonians 4:1). However, since he had been forced to leave Thessalonica hastily while still in the early stages of establishing the community there (Acts 17:1-13), Paul knew that the new believers—most of whom came from a pagan background—lacked much basic teaching. Though strong in their faith and love (1 Thessalonians 3:6), some of these new converts had not fully understood that the message of salvation carried with it practical implications for everyday life, including such matters as sexual conduct. So Paul reminded them of God’s design for human sexuality and exhorted them to avoid immoral behavior. God is holy, and he wants his people to be holy, too! This wasn’t always easy. The believers in Thessalonika lived in the most cosmopolitan city in Macedonia. Every day they faced temptations against the purity and holiness God called them to (1 Thessalonians 4:7). Today we find ourselves in a similar situation. Sex outside of marriage is widely accepted. Pornography and adultery have become commonplace. Abortion as a means of contraception is gaining wider acceptance. In such an environment, we are surrounded by temptations and may find it difficult to restrain inclinations toward lustful thoughts, provocative speech, and impure behavior. All is not lost. Almighty God has given us his Spirit to empower us against sin and safeguard our purity. And through this Spirit, our Father offers us his mercy and healing if we should fall. As we grow in our faith and love for God, we become increasingly sensitive to the movements of his Spirit within us. We learn to recognize more quickly when we have offended him and we are more eager to confess our sins and be set free. Let‘s remain close to the Lord so that his will for us, our sanctification, will be fully accomplished (1 Thessalonians 4:6). “Holy Spirit, purify my heart and mind so that I can live a life pleasing to God in every way. Help me to turn aside from sin and strengthen all that is good in me. Give me grace to live in your purity now, so that I may live forever with you.” Psalm 97:1-2,5-6,10-12; Matthew 25:1-13 |