“But we ought to always than God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and through belief in the truth.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV)
There’s a lot of thanksgiving packed into one small scripture. First, Paul reminds us to be thankful for our spiritual siblings; our brothers and sisters in Christ. He states that they are the first fruits; the initial harvest of salvation. And then he points out the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit made available to us through belief in the gospel.
Today I am especially thankful for spiritual siblings and sanctification. I don’t know where or who I’d be apart from the Holy Spirit’s prompting and the tireless help of my believing friends. My heart is full as I reflect on their investments into my story. My spiritual siblings have pulled me towards sanctification.
It seems like 2020 has been hard for everyone. I’m choosing to send out gratitude greetings, in lieu of Christmas cards. My mailing list is long; brothers and sisters who have spoken truth into dark moments and challenging circumstances. People who have held to the Word as the standard for their own lives and thus encouraged me to do the same. Friends who have served and cried and prayed and stood alongside me through the ugliest life has to offer.
The truth is, we all need these kind of people. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is our inherent dependency upon one another. Life alone isn’t life at all. We were created for relationship: first with God and then with others. In this CoVid crisis we must be especially creative in sustaining these intimate and imperative connections. Other believers plus the Holy Spirit’s presence is perhaps our greatest catalyst for personal growth – we are challenged when we come together.
Time is short and our Kingdom assignment is large. We cannot afford to lose another season to loneliness and exile. With today’s technology, it’s unnecessary. Get on the phone or figure out FaceTime. Set up a Zoom account and start a virtual small group. Get involved in the life of another believer and make a commitment to grow together toward Jesus. Have hard conversations. Wrestle with scripture. Embark on a fast and pray for one another. Decide today that life will look different by this time next year – you and your friends will more closely resemble Christ.
“Meanwhile, we’ve got our hands full continually thanking God for you, our good friends – so loved by God! God picked you out from the very start. Think of it: included in God’s original plan of salvation by the bond of faith in the living truth. This is the life of the Spirit He invited you to through the message we delivered, in which you get in on the glory of our Master, Jesus Christ.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 MSG)
Lord, we are so grateful for siblings and sanctification. You knew full well how hard it would be to live out the gospel alone, so in Your wisdom, You sent help. The Spirit and spiritual family both reinforce our growth. Thank You for these two powerful forces further shaping our stories. We recognized them as the gifts they are. We receive their presence in our lives with great gratitude. Amen.