Courage wasn’t the lack of fear; it was standing up to your fears and doing what you had to do despite them.”
–John Deacon (The Provider 4)
“And because you listen to these rules and keep and do them, the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love that he swore to your fathers. He will love you, bless you, and multiply you…”
–Deuteronomy 7:12-13 (ESV)
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Woes, terror all around, threats of war, devastation in many ways, anxieties, fears, mayhem, oh, what are we to do? Do we fold our hands and say, “What’s the use”? Do we hide ourselves in the closet or under the bed in fear waiting for something bad to happen to us? What can we do in this evil and wicked world? Woe, oh, woe is me!
Well, shape up! Paul gives us a quick synopsis of what we should be doing and how we should shape our lives in a few verses from 2 Thessalonians. Before reading these verses remember, that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Because He redeemed us, He will not let go of us. Thomas Traherne wrote, “His love therefore being infinite, may do infinite things for an object infinitely valued.” Think on that, ponder it–we are infinitely valued. Now take a glimpse at what Paul instructs us to do from 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17.
15 — Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
16 — Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
17 — comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. (NKJV)
First of all, we are to stand. This is a command that relates to a continuous action. “The human response to God’s faithfulness must be in the form of steadfastness in spite of the opposition that comes against us.” (Bernard Rossier) Then, immediately following, “hold” (again this means, continuously) or perhaps better, grip tenaciously. We are to stand, and as Paul writes in Ephesians, after done all to continue standing, and now we add to that grip, hold firm. Stand and hold on to what? The traditions which you have been taught. Now, don’t get hung up on the word “traditions.” It means the teaching that has been passed on to us from God Himself. We know that some traditions are from men and do not originate from God; do not confuse them with what Paul is saying here. (Rossier) Hold firm to the truth, stand solid in the truth–guard the truth and never let it go from your mind and heart.
Know this, that in the midst of the trials, terror and battles that we do not do it in our own strength. “We are never left to fight and toil alone. He who gives us the task also gives us the strength to do it; more, He actually does it with us.” (William Barclay) We are not just thrown into the battle or thrown to the lions so to speak. Behind us, beside us and in front of us there is God. Get this in your heart, “Do not be afraid…for I am with you…” (Acts 18:9,10, NKV) With God, we can stand, we can grasp firmly.
Throughout the difficulties of life we have the promise that God is with us, we can have confidence that His presence is there. Then He gives “good hope.” Not just hope to get by, but an extraordinary, supernatural hope. Hope that is sure because it rests in His Word and character. We rest in this hope; it “is what spurs us on while we await the coming of our blessed Lord.” (Rossier) There seems to be some teaching that the Lord will not return until the end of the Tribulation. Let me ask then, who do we look for? Our eyes are turned to the lawless one, the Antichrist. We would look for his coming. But no! We are to look for the coming of the Lord Himself to take His saints home. We wait, our hope is in His appearing.
Because of this our hearts are comforted. Because of our hope in the return of the Lord we are comforted and therefore can go forth through this world in victory. Since we are established, we see “the necessity of work for the Lord while we wait the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rossier) I would implore that each of us take heed to these few words by Paul. Be steadfast while we wait. Don’t worry, the Holy Spirit is with us.