Thought for August 17, 2023

• 1890: First recorded ascent of Mt. Rainier
• 1891: Electric self-starter for automobile patented
• 1903: Joe Pulitzer donates $1 million to Columbia University to establish Pulitzer Prize
• 1945: Korea divided along the 38th parallel
• 1957: Richie Ashburn hits Alice Roth twice with foul balls--one breaks her nose, second hits her on the stretcher
• 1969: Hurricane Camille hits the Gulf Coast killing 259
• 1998: Bill Clinton admits an "improper relationship" with Monica Lewinsky
• Born: Mae West, Robert De Niro, Davy Crockett, Leslie Groves [led the Manhattan Project]
• Died: Frederick the Great, Ira Gershwin, Rudolph Hess, Billy Friske [first American killed in action in WWII]

Thought:

All of us are familiar with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11. Many of us have heard these verses used during a funeral service. The church at Thessalonica anticipated that Christ would return soon and was concerned about those that might die before Christ returned. Paul wants to comfort and encourage them. In 4:13-18 Paul tells them about those who fall asleep before Christ returns and concludes in 4:18 with, "Therefore comfort one another with these words." Then in 5:1-11, Paul addresses the issue of the day of the Lord and concludes with "Therefore encourage one another." Think about how these two passages of scripture can comfort and encourage us today.

• Those asleep in the Lord. Paul says for us not to act like those who have no hope. Our hearts ache when a loved one's body dies. We miss them desperately. We feel a hole in our hearts. We weep like Jesus did over Lazarus. But if our loved one was in Christ, we have hope--a blessed hope that will not disappoint---life does not end with physical death. So what does Paul say to give comfort to the church?
• Those asleep in Christ will return with Him at His coming. [4:14] To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And when He returns, they return with Him.
• The bodies of the dead in Christ will rise first [4:16]. Just as Christ experienced a bodily resurrection, so will those asleep in the Lord. 
• Those who are alive at His coming will join Him in the air [4:17]. So whether we are alive at His coming or asleep in Him at His coming, we will be united with Him.
• All in Christ will be with Him for eternity [4:17].  Faith rewarded, hope realized, love endures forever.
• The Day of the Lord: 
• Will come unexpectedly. [5:2] Those in darkness will be saying don't worry, all is well. [5:3]
• Children of the Light will not be surprised because we remain alert and sober. [5:4-6] Armed with the breastplate of faith and love and wearing the helmet of the hope of salvation, we are ready for His coming. [5:8] Faith and love protect our hearts from fear and doubt and all the other fiery darts of the evil one. The hope/assurance of our salvation protects our minds from the deceptions of the devil--a mind stayed upon Jehovah is fully blessed. 

Paul wrote these words under the inspiration of the Spirit to comfort and encourage us. So today, despite the news, we await expectantly and confidently for His coming knowing that if our bodies die, we will be with Him when He comes and if we are alive, we will be ready for the Light to break in the eastern sky. [5:10]

Blessings

Larry