Mid-September Pasta...

Is September half over already? Really? Yikes...

We have wrapped up our study of 2 Thessalonians and we are moving on to study the Gospel of Luke. I have to say that I am excited about studying a gospel. It has been a while since I had a good reason, (like I need one), to sit down and dig into a gospel. I just think that as we try to move about this world and try to figure out how best to live a life that is pleasing to God, we will find no better help than when we examine the accounts of the life of the only one who did it perfectly.

But before we move on to Luke, I want to look back at 2 Thessalonians a bit. You know how it is- each time you study a book you find new things that stick with you. This time I am coming away from the book of 2 Thessalonians with more of an appreciation of how similar it is to 1 John. I have mentioned in class that 1 John is my favorite book of the Bible, (if we are allowed to have favorites), and I just found a lot of similarities and connections between the two books this time.

1 John is so much about establishing Godly habits and directions in our lives. It is about the habitual pattern of the things we do from day to day. John talks about "walking in the light" and developing the ability to test the things we see and hear around us to determine whether they are of God or not. 2 Thessalonians is not so different! In the second chapter of 2 Thess. Paul addresses the confusion caused by a "bogus" letter being circulated in his name. It is in that chapter we find Paul's words about those who are perishing and those who are destined for salvation. It is in that chapter we find Paul's emphasis on truth and on the "sanctifying work of the spirit". I just think that the target audience of 2 Thessalonians was a group of people very much like us. There were people who had chosen a direction for their lives and faced the challenge of staying on course while surrounded by opposition. Not so different from now is it?

To stay on course requires intentional action. To stay on course requires having some set specifications for the destination, and it requires remaining focused on the fixed points that are going to guide you to the place you want to go. Inattention to the habits and directions of our lives may seem rather innocent in some ways, (well gee, I guess I just wasn't paying attention...), but the end result is just as tragic and devastating as if we directly chose to move away from God. To arrive at the destination requires attention, intention, and effort. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling..."

It is for this reason that I enjoy Sunday School (or a small group) so much. When people come together for the purpose of reading God's Word- talking about it, hashing it out, bouncing ideas back and forth, sharing perspective- they find one more way to be intentional about the direction of their lives.

Which brings me back to being excited about studying the book of Luke. Again, I think that if we are serious about our desire to walk this earth in the best fashion possible, it does us good to look closely at the one, (and only one), to pull it off perfectly.

Just Keep Swimming...

Jon