Turn Serve Wait

Building One Another - Vol. 11, No. 2
Dear Friend, Occasionally while reading Scripture for the shear pleasure of opening ourselves to a word from the Lord who loves us we come across a wonderful pithy summary of the life of faith. I Thessalonians 1:9-10 is just such a succinct word: “For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.”I Thessalonians 1:9-10* The apostle Paul was explaining how the people of Macedonia summarized the response of the people of the town of Thessalonica to the good news about the person of Jesus. They turned – from idols.           They served – a living and true God (that is to say the            real God).                     They waited – for Jesus (the Jesus whom the real                     God raised from the dead).   What a wonderful summary of the entire Christian life. In your life – make the “turn” from that which is less than the God who loves you – choose to “serve” the God who loves you – and between now and the time you are face to face with Jesus – “wait” for him in trust in him. May the one who rescues us from the wrath to come encourage your heart this day.
With joy- E. Stanley Ott Copyright 2012 E. Stanley Ott *Scripture from the NRSV
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