Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Feb 15, 2024 - Three Things that are Always Appropriate”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsThree Things that Are Always Appropriate
Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
Paul gives three short instructions that express “the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances”(1 Thess 5:16-18). His language is striking because it is so sweeping: always, without ceasing, in all circumstances. As the Thessalonians prepare for the ups and downs of life, these are three spiritual activities that they need to continue. We rejoice because we remember that we are the recipients of tremendous spiritual blessings. We pray because we long to speak to God, praise him, thank him, and ask his help with whatever we are facing. We give thanks because even when things are unpleasant, there is so much good in our lives.
He also wants the Thessalonians to think rightly about new information that purports to come from God. “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil”(1 Thess 5:19-22). There is a danger that we will refuse to hear messages that challenge and convict us, quenching the Spirit and despising God’s words. Likewise there is a danger that we will believe every message to the point of absurdity (see 1 John 4:1). Paul’s solution is to “test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil”(1 Thess 5:21-22). We compare every message to God’s revealed word. If it syncs up and agrees with what has been revealed, we accept it; otherwise, we abstain from it. In this way, Christians are both open-minded (ready to hear messages from God) and closed-minded (ready to reject whatever is not from him).
Rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving are three things that are always appropriate. The Thessalonians have suffered persecution and rejection, yet there is still a place to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. More than occasional acts, these become disciplines that characterize us and buoy us through whatever circumstances we encounter.
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One Thing to Think About: In what circumstances do I find it hard to rejoice, pray, or give thanks? Why?
One Thing to Pray For: The discernment to test everything I hear—but only accept what is from God
