30th. July. 2020. Daily Devotion.

Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
1 Thessalonians 5:13-14

We continue the theme from yesterday with these comments:

The Greek term for “disheartened” literally means “small of life” or “small-souled.” It has two primary idiomatic meanings: “shy” is the primary meaning, but it can also mean “discouraged”. Which class of people do we want to bolster up? Well, both of them, don’t we? And no doubt this is what Paul meant to convey.

First, it is important in our worship that we be attentive to people who do not draw attention to themselves. Let us never take for granted that everybody sitting in Christian meeting is as strong in their faith as we; we must speak our convictions, in simple bold terms, for the benefit and encouragement of all. And it can be very helpful to a shy person if we seek to draw them out during a discussion.

But we also should be on the look-out for people who are long-time Christians, but who have become stale or discouraged in their faith. It can happen at either of two extremes. A person who has gotten into a spiritual routine may become bored, stale, or dissatisfied. Or at the opposite, a great tragedy in one’s life, such as the death of a child or a spouse, can shake his or her faith.

A second, even more complex set of meaning attaches to the word telling us what kind of people we should “chide”. Paul tells us that some people need a loving reprimand, but who? Roughly half of the Bibles in print say that brethren who are “lazy” or “idle” should be spoken-to; the other half say “disruptive” or “unruly”. Does Paul mean to refer to people who are actively stirring up trouble, or rather, people who are simply lazy and not pulling their weight?

Probably both! Current scholarship (with a lot of good reasons) tells us that where the Bible is ambiguous, the ambiguity should be taken as intentional and the phrase given multiple meanings. Paul uses a military word which means out of step, you know, the one who is going right- left, when the company is on left- right. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

For Wisdom and Mercy

Jesus, wisdom of the Father, grant me wisdom, that I may always think, speak, and do that which is good in Your sight; save me from evil thoughts, words and deeds. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner. Amen.

Prayer to Have Inner Peace in the Coming Day

Heavenly God, may I have peace within, this day;
May I trust God that I am exactly where I am meant to be.
May I not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May I use those gifts that I have received, and pass on the love that has been given to me.
May I be confident knowing I am a child of God.
Let this presence settle into my bones, and allow my soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. This I pray in Christ’s name, Amen. ~ St. Therese of Lisieux

A Prayer for the Times

God of grace and mercy be present with us as we face an unknown future and as we walk paths untrodden. In the ever-changing and uncertain world where we find ourselves, help us to know and be assured that you are sovereign, that you are all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present. We know you are a good God who holds us in our anxiety and distress and who has a plan for our future. Calm our hearts and minds and give us hope in you, our only certain hope. We pray in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen. — The Rev. David Loleng,