Day 284: No Backup Plan

2 Thessalonians 2; Isaiah 27-28; Psalm 118

Paul tells the Thessalonians "not to be easily upset or disturbed by people who claim that The Lord has already come." I would say he is talking about a specific group that the Thessalonians were struggling with, and perhaps the same philosophy could be applied to anyone who says anything contrary to scripture about the Lord's coming today. Regardless, Paul doesn't want them to get caught up in or focus on the liars and misleaders. The last part of this chapter is all about being faithful--to God, to his message, to living the way they have been instructed.

Then Paul reveals, subtly, a truth about how God plans to spread the gospel: "God used our preaching as his way of inviting you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." I've read elsewhere (Radical by Platt) that we are God's plan for spreading the message of Christ. Believers, Christians, Christ followers speaking of the gospel is IT, there is no back up plan. I think we should feel a desire, a responsibility, and an urgency to tell people about Jesus.

While most of this reading from Isaiah is about God destroying the disobedient and worthless leaders and nations, there is part of this that is really cool. God gives a metaphor for his people: He planted a vineyard, will keep it watered, and guard it day and night. He loves the vineyard. But if it produces thorns instead of beautiful grapes, he will no longer protect it and burn it to the ground. The point of this is that he has planted his people as a nation, cared for and protected them. The vineyard should have produced an abundant crop under such conditions, but instead, it grew up with weeds and nastiness. God can't use thorns and so he destroys it. God has given us the opportunity in our lives to produce good fruit. It's our choice what we do with the water, protection, and care that God offers.

A beautiful passage of scripture from this psalm: "When I was really hurting, I prayed to The Lord. He answered my prayer and took my worries away. The Lord is on my side and I am not afraid of what others can do to me. With The Lord on my side, I will defeat all of my hateful enemies. It is better to trust The Lord for protection than to trust anyone else, including strong leaders...My power and my strength come from The Lord, and he has saved me." May we lean on and trust in God for our answers, our protection, our strength.