_“God did not call us to be impure but to live a holy life.”(I Thessalonians 4: 7)_
A little band of new converts once came to a missionary with a strange request. “We are always hearing what God has done,” they said. “Now tell us what He is going to do?” The missionary thought for a moment. Then as led by the Holy Spirit quoting this passage from I Thessalonians 4: 16, he said to them with great enthusiasm and he joyfully told the people, “He is coming again!” Looking for Jesus never makes idle hands. It does not mean living a life of idleness. If we are expecting a loved one to return home after a long absence, we would not just sit down as the day of his return approached. Rather we would be busy getting everything ready, doing the things the loved one wanted. Paul writes in I Thessalonians 3 and 4 to do the certain things while we wait for that day of Christ’s appearing - right living (3: 13), consistent walk (4: 1), purity (4: 3-7) and love (4: 9,10). Paul urges that we should live a life that is consistent with our testimony. This is the place where most Christians fail. A Christian’s walk is a Christian’s life. A pastor once commented of his flock: “There is much crooked walk by those who make good talk.” Our walk and our talk should be twins going along on the same trait. Let us strive to have our ideals beyond reproach. Our attitude toward each other should be one of love. Remember the two commandments Jesus gave. First, “Love the Lord your God” and second, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Paul charges us to make our love increase and overflow for each other (3: 12). All the way Paul asks us to “work” and “labor” while we hope for that blessed day.
Dear friends, Luke 12: 40 says, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” Every morning when we rise we should say to ourselves, “Be ready for the Lord’s return for He may come today.” Every night our closing question should be, “Would I be ready for my Lord if He should come before I wake up?” Let us live every day that we may be ready for Christ’s coming! (I Thessalonians 5:4-8)
*PRAYER* : Dear Lord, help me to cultivate thoughts and habits that would make me live a worthy life while I wait for Your appearance. Let me not live a life of sleepy indulgence but be alert and self-controlled. Let this be my attitude so that I will not have fear of that day. Amen.
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