Pride and Joy

Meditations on 1 Thessalonians

June 15, 2021

Pride and Joy

After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! Yes, you are our pride and joy.

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

Read: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

I noted on June 10 that there are spiritual forces of evil actively resisting the spreading of the Gospel and the work of God to form Christ in the believers. Paul here says the forces of evil prevented him from returning to Thessalonians. We could have a great debate of just how powerful is Satan. I mean, if God really wanted Paul to return to Thessalonica, could Satan have stopped him? This of course begs the question of whether returning to Thessalonica was just a notion Paul had. There are so many rabbit trails we could chase in this debate, but in our chase, we may miss the point.

I believe Paul wants us to be aware that our adversary, the enemy of God, is not without power, and we do best to take the spiritual forces of evil very seriously. And we need to remember that God has not left us defenseless; we have the whole armor of God. (see Ephesians 6: 10-18)

My Takeaway: I believe when Christ returns, I know some folks who will stand before Christ, and for whom I will be part of their crown and reward. And when I stand before Christ, I know of those who will be my pride and joy. How about you? For whom will you be their crown and reward? Who will be yours?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.