Loading more...
Hope Springs Forth
Throughout the year, we have continued to celebrate the 90th anniversary of The Upper Room daily Read More
Erin Racine | Read 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy believe that the Thessalonian church is a model Christian community. They begin their letter to the church by celebrating that the congregation’s faith and love for one another are increasing. The authors also acknowledge that the congregation is experiencing hardship and persecution. Though the church’s neighbors...
Spirit of God, awaken us to the ways your church is growing in faith and love. May we remain steadfast in our faithfulness. Amen.
Habakkuk stands aghast at the destruction and violence all around and wonders why justice never seems to conquer. At the end of the reading, God contrasts the proud with the righteous who live by faith. The psalmist delights in God’s righteousness and in the commandments of God; however, he acknowledges his small place. Adversity appears in Second Thessalonians also, but here the struggles endured by the faithful serve a particular end: They stand as signs of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house,” which reminds us that the righteous who live by faith are not necessarily socially or religiously acceptable.
• Read Habakkuk 1:1-4 and 2:1-4. How can you wait actively for God’s response to your prayers and complaints? How will you enact God’s response when it comes?
• Read Psalm 119:137-144. How do you follow God’s commandments in the face of injustice and corruption?
• Read 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12. The work of the church has never been easy. How does your faith community work to exude God’s love in a time when many reject or feel rejected by church institutions?
• Read Luke 19:1-10. When have you run to Jesus? How can you share your experience so others pursue Jesus as well?
Respond by posting a prayer.
