Monday 22 March 2021

Thought for the Day 22/03/21 - What will you do with confusion?


Yesterday I had the responsibility of filling in the 2021 UK Census.

It was quite an insight to see what sort of questions they wanted the answers to!

They wanted to know all sorts of things about my private life ... but the 'religion' question just asked me what tribe I belonged to and that was about it.

I'm certainly not going to get answers to the questions I have about the spiritual condition of the UK from THAT! 

There was nothing about what you actually believed, and nothing about the difference it makes, it just said 'are you Christian?'

As a culture it's hard not to think, then, that we are confused in a crisis of misunderstanding. No wonder our Government makes things hard for Christian BELIEVERS without even seeing it! 

It makes you wonder, doesn't it, what on earth God is doing here at the moment?

Confused in a crisis of misunderstanding


And then last night I read Paul's exhortations and encouragements to the suffering church in Thessalonica ... doing well under the circumstances, but the persecution they were going through was intense. 

They had lost believers who had died and the circumstances were such that they were left wondering: 'What on earth is God doing here ... ?!'

People in their culture with big questions like that (and they hadn't been Christians for long so their past habits were still quite strong) would just go off to see an augurer or an enchanter to get an 'answer'.

Paul says 'hang on, that ain't the way!'

He keeps it simple and says in our Verse for the Day what to do ...


                                    " pray continually"



That's it - that's the whole verse!

Now, it's not unusual when a person is struck with a sudden fright to try to remember 'a prayer'.

That's not what the Apostle is talking about here. 


Talking to God like your Father


This is about the speaking with the Lord that is the way Christians relate to Him, not addressing the Divine as if He was a public meeting!

Here's the basis for doing that in the Bible's faith:

The Thessalonians believers' sin had been forgiven when they'd turned from sin to trust Christ ... that's the way it is for all actual Christians and there's no box for that on the Census form.

So the personal separation that sin puts between people and God is now dealt with. 

As a consequence the Thessalonians (and all real believers - not just the ones who tick 'Christian' on the census form) both 

know God and 

sustain an on-going personal relationship with Him ... 

and that relationship happens through prayer.

It is not about forms, patterns and rituals. 

Paul is simply talking about relating to God.


The antidote to confusion and augury


Of course, life as a human in a fallen world can be confusing (that's an understatement).

But there are ways of tackling that which deliver, and ones that don't (of course, we realise that).

The Christian antidote to augury is a relationship of thankfulness and faith in the One Who  holds the past and the future in His hands.

So to these confused, persecuted believers who HAVE trusted in Christ but are shaken by their experiences, the Apostle Paul says 'pray without faltering'.

In fact, this is part of a list of three things here about how to handle it when God's actions confuse us.

Paul writes in these three verses:

  • Always rejoice

  • Don't falter in praying

  • Give thanks in all circumstances

And then Paul gives the reason why for all three actions: 

"for THIS is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"

                                     1 Thessalonians 5:18


You want to know what's going on? 

God is fulfilling His plans and purposes for His people ... don't go running after augurers to give you some kind of shallow answer! 

THIS HERE is God's will for you in Christ Jesus!

The Point


Given the sin-wrecked state of things on this planet, and given the way we are not as clever or as insightful as God, we may well experience temporal confusion as things happen to us that we don't understand.

Paul's message is clear: 

Don't go running off to whatever kind of modern 'witch doctor' takes your fancy to tell you what's going on ... God knows the why and the wherefore, not THEM!

The will of God for you is that you live with Him by faith and trusting Him, do these things that your God gives you reason for:

"Always rejoice, 

constantly pray, 

in everything give thanks. 

For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

                            1 Thessalonians 5:17-18


Remember there was someone who once wisely said: 

'Those who walk with God will always arrive safe at their destination'.

The Takeaway


Faith trusts God because of what it believes and because faith puts its' daily trust in Him.

Do not go running for answers, says Paul, but rejoice, pray and give thanks to the One Who has hold of the outcomes, and crafts them for the good of His people.

And it is 

  • the regular, not just daily but HABITUAL rejoicing in God even when everything else but God is crummy, 

  • the not just daily but throughout the day not flagging in speaking with and relating to Him along the way and 

  • the not just regular but reflex action of giving thanks in everything that God brings to you

which exercises, strengthens and safeguards faith ... which is what saves you.

Don't go running after your augurers!






No comments:

Post a Comment

DIY Sunday Service Kit 24/03/24 - Shouting and singing in Church - Psalm 100

  Welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit for Mach 24th. 2024 - Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday was when the crowd pilgrims heading up to Jerusalem g...