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We have the potential to be something very special. This potential is in us because God has called us to live a life worthy of Him. With that call God began a work in us, a work that He has promised to complete. That supernatural work of God within us is what drives our potential. [Philippians 1:6, I Thessalonians 2:12b]

Paul saw the potential of the converts in Thessalonica. He wrote his letter to them to express his joy in them, and to help develop God’s potential in their lives. His letter gives us much to think about amid its simplicity.

Paul begins, ^“We always thank God for all of you, remembering you constantly in our prayers. We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  [I Thessalonians 1:2-3 NLT]

As that first chapter begins to unwind, Paul reminisces about how these converts embraced the Gospel. He points out that the Gospel came to them not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. These converts welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit and became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Their faith was well known everywhere. This is high praise because Paul calls no other church a model, an example or pattern to both believers and non-believers.

What a joyous way to begin a letter. It reminds me of the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 and the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19. Jesus told his listeners that a master had entrusted certain of his servants with talents or minas, and upon his return had found that some had multiplied what was given them while others had not. To those who had gained, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!” [Matthew 25:21 NLT]

The opening of Paul’s letter is his way of saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things ….”  Now he will show them the way to be faithful with even more, the way to share their Master’s happiness.

Someone reminded me recently that I have always referred to the day between the cross and the resurrection as “Silent Saturday.”

Jesus was dead. They had hurriedly placed his body in the tomb. Pilate had commanded the soldiers to roll a great stone across the entrance to keep Jesus’ disciples from stealing His body.

The followers of Jesus were afraid they might be the next ones to be arrested. I am sure they were silent in their mourning so as not to attract attention to themselves. They were waiting for the Sabbath to end so they could go to the tomb and do a proper preparation of Jesus’ body for burial.

Silence. Sadness. Stunned Disbelief. I am also sure they were experiencing a myriad of emotions. No one truly understood what was ahead. No one understood that the great stone that was rolled in front of the tomb was to keep people out – but had no power to keep their LORD and Savior in!

There would be rejoicing and celebration. Sunday would come. But this day, this day was a silent day that offered no answers to their deepest questions. Silent Saturday.

We have all experienced a “Silent Saturday,” a time filled with silence, sadness, stunned disbelief, not knowing what was ahead. But I promise that for the followers of Christ – Sunday will come!

“Praise the Lord O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

Psalm 103, a psalm of David, opens with a reminder to remember the Lord. David wants to remember the benefits of the Lord in his life, forgiveness, healing, redemption, love and compassion.

Today is Good Friday. The day we remember also, the work of Christ at Calvary that provided the benefits of God to those who accept His sacrifice; benefits that will remain with us for all eternity.

David throughout the remainder of Psalm 103 remembers many more of the Lord’s benefits. Toward the end of the psalm, David makes a grand statement, “The Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all.”  [103:19]

Whatever benefits David experienced or did not experience, he realized that God’s throne was firmly established. Whatever David may see with his eyes on this earth did not matter, what mattered was that God’s kingdom rules over all.

Jesus spoke one word from the cross that speaks more to our souls that all others, “Telelestai!” In English that is, “It is finished!”

The work of the Lamb of God sacrificed to take away the sins of the world was completed. The work of man’s redemption and salvation was accomplished. A fountain of grace had now been opened, and peace had been bought with the blood of the very Son of God. It is done. He has by His death destroyed him who held the power of death over all men, that is the devil. He has made an end of transgression and through his blood has obtained mercy for all. It is finished.

“The Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all.” 

Praise the Lord O my soul … forget not all his benefits … It is Finished.

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

David’s fervent prayer — Let me not forget all you have done for me, forgiveness, healing, redemption.

Our fervent prayer – Let me not forget all that Christ has done for me on the Cross, the forgiveness of my sins, healing eternal, redemption through His blood.

David also reminded himself of another benefit in Psalm 103:4b, “[God] crowns you with love and compassion.” Love and compassion. Repeatedly through the Gospels, it is said of Jesus that He had compassion on the lost. And love … what love!

Perhaps my favorite words from the cross are the words Jesus spoke to the criminal crucified beside Him. When the thief rebuked the third man being crucified that afternoon and then asked Jesus to simply “remember me when you come to your kingdom,” Christ’s response causes my heart to soar every time I contemplate it. “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

Scholars and different denominations debate about what Jesus meant when He used the word “today.” They debate if he was talking about that literal day, or if there is a time of sleep and then a time when all awake together. Personally, I think they are all missing the point. The point is found in the words, “you will be with me.”

The thief had done nothing, yet the love and compassion of Christ, even during His own suffering for the sins of all mankind, focused on one individual and reassured Him that though he had done nothing to deserve it, he would be with Christ.

Praise the Lord O my soul … forget not all his benefits … He crowns me with love and compassion.

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

That was David’s desire as he penned Psalm 103, to remember the Lord’s benefits to him.  David remembered forgiveness and he remembered healing. He also remembered the God “who redeems your life from the pit.” 

Redemption. As we approach Easter week especially, the word redemption has great meaning for those of us in Christ. Redemption requires a sacrifice. Redemption requires blood.

In the Old Testament, redemption meant the blood of an animal was shed. In the Book of Hebrews, it says that Christ “did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”  [Heb 9:12]

We, as fallen people, were sold into slavery to sin. There was not a worthy sacrifice in all of creation that could buy us out of that slavery. We had, as a people and as individuals, disobeyed the laws of the very Creator that gave us life. Nothing worthy existed in this world that could satisfy the consequences of that disobedience.

So, God sent His Son, His dearly beloved Son, and through the sacrifice of His blood, His death at Calvary, our redemption from sin, from the law, and from the consequences of disobedience (death) were satisfied. Now we sing, “I’ve been redeemed by love divine, glory, glory, Christ is mine.”

Praise the Lord O my soul … forget not all his benefits … who redeems my life from the pit.

Samuel had given the people what they asked for – a king – so that they could be like all the other nations. It displeased him to do so, but the LORD told Samuel that the people had not rejected him, they had rejected the LORD.

After Samuel gives them the opportunity to testify against him regarding his leadership, Samuel takes the opportunity to testify to them about the great things the LORD has done for them

“Now stand here quietly before the Lord as I remind you of all the great things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors.” [1 Samuel 12:7 NLT]

We often need to be reminded of the great things the LORD has done for us. It is easy to forget when we find ourselves amid the problems and trials of life.

Being reminded of what God HAS done strengthens our faith. We trust Him better for what He WILL do. God keeps His promises to us. Christ lives to make intercession for us. The Holy Spirit teaches, encourages, sets us in right paths that we might please our Father God.

Oh, LORD, remind us AGAIN!

I was going through my pictures the other day and found one of Miss Molly Magee. She was the best cat. Molly was a cuddler. Molly would hover around constantly waiting for Bob or me to sit down. Then instantly she would be next to us, bumping her heavy body against us and then snuggling down to snooze. I miss that cat.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.” [Hebrews 10:19-22a NIV]

Let us draw near to God. Whenever I think of what it means to draw near to God, I think of the way Molly could hardly wait for Bob or me to sit so that she could get tightly up next to us. Once she was assured that she was as close as close can be, she would become peaceful and be at rest.

Let us draw near to God. Jesus opened the way to do just that. In the temple was the Holy of Holies. That was where the Ark of the Covenant was kept and where atonement sacrifice was made once a year when the High Priest would offer the blood of the sacrifice. It was where the Presence of God was and was surrounded by a heavy curtain. In Jesus’ day, that curtain was about 12-18 inches thick.

It was that curtain that was rent in two from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross. Now Jesus’ body, His blood, is our way through the curtain that had separated man from the presence of God. Now, because the way has been opened, we can draw near to God. Through Christ, into the Presence of our Father. There we can snuggle up tightly, peacefully, and be at rest.

Romans 12 carries the warmth of God’s mercy and a challenge to be a living sacrifice. It also carries a warning.

“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” [vs 3-5 NLT]

The Gifts of the Spirit follow but we shouldn’t rush there just yet. We should look again at that sentence, “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

 Faith is the seedbed from which all the other gifts bloom. We are reminded by Paul not to think more highly of ourselves than we should, but to be humble and sober about what we are, what we have. In another letter, Paul asks the question, “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” [I Corinthians 4:7]

Everything, including the seedbed of faith in our hearts, comes from God. God has given us a measure of faith, and that is the foundation of all else. Any spiritual gift we might have, any talent, any ability comes from God. We have nothing of which to boast. And the principal motivation of everything we do as believers in Christ, must stem from the faith we have been given.

How can we consider ourselves any other way except soberly?

Joy! It’s a wonderful thing! And nothing brings more joy to my heart than knowing that I have Jesus on my side! (Or rather that I am on His side!)

I love those opening verses in Peter’s first letter. Verses 3 to 12 speak of the hope of eternal life. First Peter writes about what we have NOW … many trials and testing by fire. Then he reminds his readers what we will have THEN … a priceless inheritance, wonderful joy, praise and glory and honor.

And right in the middle is my favorite verse in this passage.

“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.” [1 Peter 1:8 NLT]

What we have when we love and trust Jesus (even though never seeing Him) is a glorious, inexpressible joy – or as some of the older translations render it – joy unspeakable and full of glory!

Right amid the many trials and testing by fire is a glorious, beyond words JOY! I love living in that JOY!