Jan 12,13 - 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13

May the Lord make you

increase and abound in love

for one another and for all,

and may he so strengthen

your hearts in holiness

that you may be blameless

before our God and Father

at the coming of our Lord Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

Some people’s favorite part of our worship service is the end. (Wait. That sounds bad. Let me try that again.) Some people’s favorite part of our worship service is the benediction – the final blessing.

Citing Numbers 6:24-26, we say a prayer of blessing, comfort, and encouragement: “May the Lord bless you and keep you …”

Our lesson for today is a blessing (and a benediction, of sorts) too.

The second half is a blessing indeed. “May the Lord strengthen your hearts in holiness.” Does anyone, like me, want a stronger heart and help with holiness? Absolutely.

But the second half of this second half begins to point to a responsibility. With the words, “so that,” we are told about something we need to do, “be blameless before … God.” I’d certainly like to be blameless before God, but that’s a pretty tall order and a fairly crushing responsibility. Indeed, “the Lord” had better “strengthen [my] heart in holiness” if he wants “blamelessness” before him. In fact, that’s our only shot a blamelessness.

The first half is also a responsibility, though not quite so daunting. While I can’t do this one perfectly on my own either, I can at least strive humanly to “abound in love for one another and for all.”

As far as benedictions, I like the comfort from Numbers better than the challenge from Thessalonians. But if I’m honest, in the long run I need both – comfort and challenge. Without challenge, I’m rather slothful and my life goes nowhere. Without comfort, I’m crushed.

The old axiom for good preaching was that the pastor should, “Comfort the afflicted. And afflict the comfortable!” Through the scriptures, God carefully calibrates comfort and challenge, to call forth passions from wounded hearts.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s probably

too comfortable

(should I look out for

the next challenge?!!)