Hopes for Tomorrow

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28, we find the apostle Paul expressing his hopes for the church's future.  His prayers in this passage are anchored in his confidence in God's faithfulness.  He states, "The one who calls is faithful and he will do it" (1 Thes. 5:24).  Rooted in that confidence, Paul expresses his desires.

1. Paul hopes that God will sanctify believers through and through. What does it mean to be sanctified? A good description is found in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."  Paul's prayer is that God would wholly and completely sanctify the believers.

2. Paul hopes that God will keep them blameless (spirit/soul/body) until the appearing of Jesus.  Paul's prayer here is that God would make them fully mature in Christ.

3. Paul hopes they will pray for him.

4. Paul hopes the will live in unity. The holy kiss was symbolic of closeness and family. 

5. Paul hopes they will read this letter out loud.  Actually, he is commanding the letter to be read before the entire congregation. 

6. Paul hopes grace abounds in their lives.  When we speak about sanctification, we often fall into one of two errors.  We either think it is all about us working hard, or about God doing all the work.  Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:12-13 that it is really about working in conjunction with God.  We are saved by grace, we grow by grace, and we are kept by grace.

Paul's hopes for the Thessalonian church are my hopes for Monticello.  I want to see Christ formed in each member's life, as well as, in my own.  May he sanctify you and keep you.

Brief Reflections on an Anonymous Prayer

Kay Anne Carson shares this prayer in, A Little Book of Cherished Poems: Beautiful Poetry to Treasure.

A Prayer Found in Chester Cathedral

Give me a good digestion, Lord

And also something to digest;

Give me a healthy body, Lord,

With sense to keep it at its best.

Give me a healthy mind, good Lord,

To keep the good and pure in sight;

Which, seeing sin, is not appalled, 

But finds a way to set it right.

Give me a mind that is not bored,

That does not whimper, whine or sigh;

Don't let me worry overmuch

About the fussy thing called "I."

Give me a sense of humor, Lord,

Give me the grace to see a joke;

To get some happiness from life,

And to pass it on to other folk.

Anonymous

Has there every been a writer more prolific than Anonymous? He or she has had some of the best stuff to say in every century.  All kidding aside, this prayer offers several helpful categories for us to think through. 

The author touches, not only on the aspect of our daily bread, but also on a healthy body.  He (I'll assume it was a man) asks for good digestion and food to digest, but also for a healthy body and the sense to keep it that way.

He prays for a healthy mind so that he can think God's thoughts after him.  He wants to keep the good and pure "in sight."

He also prays for the ability to overcome whining, complaining, and boredom.  Interestingly enough, he attributes these things to an overemphasis on the self.  His prayer, in part, is for deliverance from himself.

Finally, he desires a heart of good humor that can spread cheer to others.  The ability to spread cheer is a grace.

Although this isn't the best or most theological prayer I have ever read, I thought it was worthy of sharing.  It is also worthy of thinking about.  This poem looks to the redemption of the whole man for the purpose of fulfilling his God-given purpose.  The requests for food, a healthy body and mind, a deemphasis on self, and an ability to spread cheer are all means to the end of accomplishing God's purposes.

May this prayer spur you to pray your own.  Delight in the Lord and trust him to give you the desires of your heart.  Cry out to him, and you will find that he is listening.