After thinking for the last 30 minutes, I still cannot figure out a preamble for today’s reading so let’s just dive straight to…

Bible Passage:  2 Thessalonians 1-3

Finishing Well

What would you like as an epitaph on your tombstone?  What do you think will be written there?  What statement would describe your overal life rather than whatever current circumstances you are temporarily facing right now?

This time when Paul wrote to the members at Thessalonica, they were in the midst of intense suffering (2 Thess 1:4-5).  But we read that Paul encouraged them to look beyond their current troubles to the return of the Lord and the affirmation that they would receive from Christ at that time (2 Thess 1:6-7).

Their enemies, who are really the enemies of the Lord, will be judged and dealt with (2 Thess 1:8-9). But for the believers who remain faithful, in contrast, they would join with their Saviour in joy and praise (2 Thess 1:10).

Paul went on to expand on this theme in the chapter 2 and its impact on the current difficulties (2 Thess 2:1-12). I will expand a little more on this later.

But first of all, God calls us as His people to finish our lives well by holding on to the truths that lasts (2 Thess 2:15).  He challenges us to maintain lifelong faithfulness and not to be entirely caught up in the here and now, whether good and bad.

What is the long term direction of your life?  How would others view you long after you are gone?  What are the values and reputation you want them to remember?  What will people choose to remember about you?

The members are Thessalonica were praised for their withstanding of persecution so much so that today, we still read about them.  They have a wonderful epitaph.  What do you think yours will be like?

Dangers of Preoccupations

When I read 2 Thess 2:1-12, I cannot help but reflect on the current state of the world today.

Are you anxious about the future of the world?  With the current economic crisis, the rumours of wars and disasters, the worsening evil that we read about every day in the newspapers, global warming and environmental issues, diseases etc… it is not easy not to be a bit anxious about life and how it will all turn out in the end.

Like many people today, the believers in Thessalonica were vulnerable to urgent warnings and annoucements related to the future (2 Thess 2:1-2).  In fact, certain false teachers of the day pandered to the poeple’s interest in such things, playing to their greatest hopes and worst fears about the return of Chirst (2 Thess 2:3; 1 Thess 5:2-5).

But Paul would have none of it.  He appealed for reason and critical thinking based on his clear instructions to them (2 Thess 2:3-12, 15).

So for me, as we read the passage today, we, like them, need to “stand fast and hold the traditions which [we] were taught,” – the truths of God’s Word.

We should avoid fanciful, fearful guesswork about events related to the Lord’s return and instead be busy about our responsibilities at hand (2 Thess 3:6-13).

Be A Busy Body And Not A Busybody

When we come to chapter 3, we are told to be busy at work and not a busybody and not work.

Paul used himself as an example of earning his own living and not let the believers care for him, even though it is his right as an apostle.

However, I would just like to focus on 2 Thess 3:13

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

Do you ever feel like you get tired of always doing the right thing?

You’re always the one who is emptying the rubbish bins.  Others see but do nothing.

You’re always the one who is giving a lift to those in need.  Others do not offer to take their turn and help.

You’re always the one who has to wash the toilets.  Because no one else will do it.

You lead by example, do the right things, step up whenever there is a call, but you feel like you’re all alone doing this. And then it starts eating away at you…”Why is it that no one else helps?…Why am i the only one doing this?…Everyone should put do their part so it can be fair…”

And slowly but surely you get broken down from the person who wants to help, to the person who hates it.

Why is that? Why does helping become so hard? Why is it that it becomes burdensome for the ones who do it constantly, and impossible to even start for the ones who know they should…but just don’t?

This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.

Helping others is something we need to be doing together. It should be something we have joy in doing because we know we are serving God by helping those in need.

Serving God is something we all should be doing together.  It should be our collective response to the great grace of the Lord.

But why do we feel burned out and tired?

I think it’s just sometimes we place more emphasis on what we want to do and what’s best for us, that we lose sight of why we’re helping or serving in the first place.

We are called to serve. We are called to love others unconditionally. It’s easy to do what the world does and put ourselves first, but it takes a stronger one to put the needs of others before their own.

This is something for us to think about today.

And may we be faithful till the very end so that we know that we have indeed finished well.

To end, I would like to share a Cantonese song

當你走到無力

Indeed, there are times in our life’s journey where we have walked till we are strengthless and weary… but the Lord understands and will stretch out His hand to help us… always.