Opening Prayer
Lord, help us in times of tribulation, by the power of Your Word. Amen.
Text: Second Thessalonians 1:3-12
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Devotion
Through suffering, God’s saints are purified. The dross of sin in them is purged away, the flesh is mortified, lusts die, the soul is drawn to heaven, love grows, patience is put to use. So these things teach us to praise God for His grace in everything and to sing heavenly hymns of praise to Him in the midst of the dark prison. Without suffering, such glory cannot be attained. All difficulties that come upon you – regard them as the Lord’s cross, since it is indeed also the cross of Christ. In other words: Suffer as a Christian, humble yourself before God, accept the chastisement from the Most High, so that selfishness, self-will, troubles, and lusts die. Then God will make you worthy of His call and perfect His image in you. Then His name is sanctified in us and we in Him already here. – Way of the cross, full of grace! Yet we flee from it instead of loving it.
But by suffering we are prepared beforehand for the blessedness there, and to meet Him when He comes with His mighty angels on that great day. Then we shall see that tribulations did not harm us, but rather sanctified us, cleansed and transformed us. When the ungodly are consumed by Jesus’ coming, our glory shall shine in full brilliance. The angels shall marvel and worship the Lord. New insight into the depth of His wisdom shall be revealed to them and to us. We who had fallen so far and in such miserable state shall become so incredibly glorious. Thereby the Lord receives His own new name, ever new it is reflected from us. Thus we have it written on our foreheads. His name “Jesus” shines in ever new brilliance through all eternity. Every knee bows, and all saints praise Him with new tongues (Phi 2:9-11). Then our time of tribulations is past, and the wedding days of eternity have come.
Closing Prayer
We will gladly suffer, Lord Jesus. O but help us in this. Give us grace to suffer so that Your name is honored and praised here and hereafter. Amen.
Hymn
Our suff’ring is the token,
Through which our faith is found,
When those last words are spoken
And God’s great trumpet sound;
Our bitter myrrh shall give us
The fruit of joys so ripe,
When Jesus shall receive us
Into eternal life.
Then who would yet not suffer
With bounteous thanks to God,
Our lives with haste to offer,
Assured of heav’n’s abode?
We then know the beginning
Of glory infinite,
And here on earth are winning,
Since heaven’s crown awaits.
Brorson: Vor Trængel, hvor besværlig L 425:4-5 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Jeg raaber fast, O Herre (LHy 218); alternate hymn: Come, follow Me ELH 422:5-6