Tuesday 01 September 2009

Background

Waiting is an everyday human experience which we often findeasier if we know how long we have to wait. We may find itfrustrating when the call centre's recorded message tells us thatwe will be able to speak to a human being in approximately "fiveminutes from now", but at least we have some idea of how long itshould be. This natural desire to know 'how long' has producedwaiting time notices in accident and emergency units and, in someplaces, information boards at bus stops indicating when the bus weare expecting should arrive.

Such information is helpful but it is not always available; andwhen it isn't, waiting can be particularly difficult.

Paul writes to the Thessalonians (in northern Greece) and remindsthem that although they can be confident in their hope for thefuture, the actual timing of future events cannot be predicted orknown. The death and resurrection of Jesus has achieved the victorythat will one day be seen in its fullness, but the date of thesecond coming of Jesus cannot be marked in a diary. Indeed, the daywill come unexpectedly "like a thief in the night".

The question then is how to wait. Paulis keen to stress that Christian believers should wait expectantly.Their lives should reflect the truth that they are "children oflight and children of the day" and at any time should be ready tomeet the returning Jesus on "the day of the Lord".

In the age of mobile phones, the experience of a guest arrivingunannounced at our front door is less familiar than it was in thepast, but at times, the arrival of such a visitor - even if theyare a good friend - results in a hasty dash around the living roommoving the clutter in order to make sure that there is a free chairto offer to the surprise guest. Paul encourages the Thessalonians,as it were, to 'keep their living rooms tidy' and to live livesthat are ready at every moment to meet with the returning Jesus.This belief in the future second coming is not just theoreticalspeculation for the future, but is a challenge to Christiandiscipleship in the present time.

To live expectantly in this way, prepared to meet the returningJesus, is not easy, but in verse 8 Paul reminds his readers thatthey can use the armour that God has provided - the armour of faithand love and hope.

To Ponder

What would you say to the person who asked youfor advice on how to live waiting expectantly for "the day of theLord"?

The images of putting on the armour of faith,love and hope is a powerful one. What does it mean, to you, inpractice?