Isaiah 8:1-15
Psalms 30, 32, 42, and 43
2 Thessalonians 3:6-18
Luke 22:31-38
2
Thessalonians 3:6-18
At the end of 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 Paul
gives the reader the blessing which, to me, is so important in faith.
ow may the Lord of peace
himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of
you. ----- The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all
of you.
This threefold blessing is to me the key to God’s
gift to us in Christ. Peace (which
passes all understanding) is the first element.
Being at peace with Christ gives great comfort; it displaces the toil
and hubbub of our daily activity and gives us a sense of contentment with our
“lot.”
The Lord being with us is a shield defending us from
the evils of the world, guiding us when we are subject to temptation and
comforting us, not condemning us, when we get it wrong.
Grace is the assurance that our belief, not our
deeds (good or otherwise), is the final element of the gift of eternal life
with Christ.
May God give to us all his peace, his presence and
his grace.
John
McGarvey