1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NRSV)
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 on biblegateway.com
Verse 13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. Verse 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. Verse 15For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. Verse 16For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Verse 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Verse 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Devotion
In a world of zero-sum relationships and "gotcha" moments, the Apostle Paul's words are a reminder that even awesome people make mistakes. Paul was firmly convinced that Jesus would return in his lifetime; but as time wore on and his own death drew near, Paul thought more about the importance of living in the meantime of waiting. When we allow our own will to be molded by the will of God we may sometimes find ourselves in an uncomfortable, but necessary place! Resiliency, flexibility and humility are all marks of a reforming and changing church. Might that teachable spirit infect our own lives?
Prayer
God grant me peace this day. I surrender my will and my life to you. Teach me anew; make your way through the barred doors of my opinions and prejudices; keep me humble. Amen.