ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS JEALOUS People sometimes have trouble thinking that jealousy is a desirable attribute in God. This is because for us, jealousy is almost always wrong. But jealousy can be a positive thing, too. Paul says to the Corinthians, “I feel a divine jealousy for you” (2 Corinthians 11:2). Here the sense is “earnestly protective or watchful.” This is the jealousy we attribute to God. He protects his honor. God deserves all honor and glory from his creation, and it is right for him to seek this honor.
Exodus 34:14
Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Praise God that He is Jealous
He is Jealous, because He is the supreme being in all the universe. Praise God because He is the most glorious one. Praise Him that He has revealed himself.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Pray for Youth Horizons. Ask God to use their staff and volunteers to make God’s love known to kids at-risk.
- Ask God to speak to you as you read the scriptures.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Thessalonians 3 English Standard Version
Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Have you, or are you now, experiencing the “desolation of isolation?” You can be surrounded by people and still feel and be isolated. Often people who are struggling with suicidal thoughts feel like they are close to no one. The people around them may believe they are in fact connected to them, but it doesn’t matter what you think is true; if someone feels isolated this is profoundly unsettling and unsafe. Not that everyone, or even most people who feel isolated have suicidal thoughts, the point is that being or feeling isolation is not how we are designed to live. If you do feel connected to others in friendship then thank God for that. My challenge is to open your eyes and heart to others who may not feel connected. Perhaps God wants to use you to encourage them. If you feel disconnected just know you are not alone in this. Many people feel this way; many people are in fact not in close relationships with others. Part of this is the reality of living in a world that is never going to quite feel like home. We are always, even if we have close friends, going to feel like something is missing. That’s because it is. We are not home yet. It is super important that you pursue others, for their good and for your own good. Let them in, as best you can. Don’t demand relationships give you more than they can. Do allow these relationships to be a key source of encouragement to you as God works in you through others. For this to happen, you have to open your heart and life to others.
Have you been surprised by trouble, suffering, or trials in your life? Not surprised as in disturbed or disoriented. That response is normal, even if you understand and expect life to have troubles. What I mean by surprised is that you didn’t really think it would or could happen to you. You are probably not surprised in that way, but many are. Many have believed something the Bible and God never promised them. They have believed that if they do everything “just right” then God will ensure that no trouble befall them. Of course one major flaw in this thinking is that we are not ever going to do everything “just right” so thank God that is not a prerequisite for God’s love or blessing. The other flaw of course is that God doesn’t just want us to have a life free from trouble, he wants us to become more like his Son. He wants us to grow and mature and develop into beings equipped to love and trust God because we are not addicted to all the smaller things that keep us from a robust faith. Again, when difficult things happen we are going to be disoriented. This is normal. But as followers of Christ we have the capacity to reorient ourselves to the truth. We do not have to remain in a state of disorientation. To reorient to God will not remove the pain of suffering, but it does remove the part of suffering that is unnecessary. Suffering is not random or without purpose. God does work all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.