Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Pressured to Lean" for Monday, 21 July 2014 - Read 2 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Pressured to Lean" for Monday, 21 July 2014 - Read 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 I, Paul, together with Silas and Timothy, greet the church of the Thessalonian Christians in the name of God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ. Our God gives you everything you need, makes you everything you’re to be.
Justice Is on the Way
3-4 You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it’s a must. We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally; your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it’s only right that we give thanks. We’re so proud of you; you’re so steady and determined in your faith despite all the hard times that have come down on you. We tell everyone we meet in the churches all about you.
5-10 All this trouble is a clear sign that God has decided to make you fit for the kingdom. You’re suffering now, but justice is on the way. When the Master Jesus appears out of heaven in a blaze of fire with his strong angels, he’ll even up the score by settling accounts with those who gave you such a bad time. His coming will be the break we’ve been waiting for. Those who refuse to know God and refuse to obey the Message will pay for what they’ve done. Eternal exile from the presence of the Master and his splendid power is their sentence. But on that very same day when he comes, he will be exalted by his followers and celebrated by all who believe—and all because you believed what we told you.
[God will] give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.(2 Thessalonians 1:7 (NIV))
A hiking stick is a hiker’s best friend. On hikes in the mountains over steep trails covered with rocks and roots, my hiking stick relieves knee pressure while I am going uphill, slows me down while descending, and keeps me from falling when my feet slip on roots and rocks. Once, when my hiking stick slid down a mountain, I didn’t hesitate to slide down after it to retrieve it. Some believe God is a crutch to lean on when we can’t handle life’s pressures, but I readily admit I can’t handle life’s pressures alone. I can do all things with Christ (see Phil. 4:13), but I make a mess on my own. I have learned to lean on God for rest, guidance, strength, and wisdom to take the next step and to know how to respond. It also reminds me that this world is not my home. One day I’ll live in an eternal heaven where God will relieve the pressures I face now, but until then I must lean. When pressures come, we can stretch upward and lean forward toward God.
The Author: Martin Wiles (South Carolina, USA)
Thought for the Day: Burdens are always lighter when we share them with God.
Prayer: Merciful God, thank you that no burden we bear is more than your shoulders can handle. Help us always to turn to you in faith. Amen.
Prayer focus: Someone bearing a heavy burden
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