The Way of Eternal Comfort

"But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this, he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word." (ESV) 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17

How can we live today, in the midst of what we see as a rampant opposition to the truth of Jesus and a misguided embrace of self above all things? How can we face the struggles, the challenges and the people we are surrounded by?

We do it by clinging to our eternal comfort and good hope and asking to be comforted yet again in Jesus.

Paul is writing to a church experiencing trouble. Some false teaching had invaded and suggested that these believers had missed out on Christ's return. The Apostle reminds the church what he taught them at first and encouraged them by making clear the Day of the Lord had not yet come. From that truth then he calls them to stand firm in Christ - that they had been claimed, redeemed, and empowered by God for his glory.

What great truth this is! For a people living in fear and making decisions from fear, the reminder of the gospel comes as a comforting security. It is an eternal comfort and good hope we have. Given identity in Christ, safe come what may as we are headed to eternity with Jesus.

And it is in this comfort we are given a daily dose of more - the prayer that the God who loves us and gave us eternity will comfort us and establish us in the work he has for us.

Where are you today? What fear can you surrender to the God who loves us and comforts us? How can you stand firm in the truth of Christ, his forgiveness, and righteousness? Run to Jesus. Be comforted.

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