Today's Bible Reading: ACTS 17:16-18:3; 1 THESSALONIANS 1:1-5:11
1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
Living the Christian life is not always easy. At times it is an uphill climb. It is a difficult ascent and a daunting pursuit filled with pitfalls. Yet we are encouraged to persist. We are challenged to push forward. We are charged to continue our climb and to walk in way that pleases God and to do so more and more.
The Thessalonians were urged to recall what they had been told regarding how they ought to walk and please God. They were to reflect on what they had received. They were to look back in order to move forward. They were exhorted to implement their instruction for their increase. They were prompted to grow through what they were given and to continue what they were doing and to do it more and more.
Yet growth is not without growing pains. Trials and temptations systematically seek to set us off course. They try to halt our advance, hinder our increase and stall our success. Our progress is often postponed. Our pursuit is paused. Barriers block our movement. Motionless, we fall into despair. We want to succeed but find ourselves stationary. We move forward only to be pushed back again and again. We find ourselves advancing less and less rather than more and more. We become stalled saints. We are unsure even how we should precede from here.
This is the moment we need to hear His word. Here is where we must access assistance for our ascent. We need to acquire help to advance. The saints at Thessalonica were urged to reflect on what they had received. They were told to contemplate what was communicated to them. They were encouraged to recall what they were told concerning how they ought to walk and please God. In their struggle to grow they were told to go back and study their notes. They were admonished to consider the word they had been given. They were to remember what they had received. In recalling it they could recalculate, refocus and resume their pursuit. This would be their help when halted. God’s word would be the catalyst that would help them continue their climb. It would be the spark that they needed to enable them to walk and please God more and more. We must do the same.
We too are to study our notes and regularly reflect on what we have received in God’s Word. We are to consider the sermons we have heard, the studies we have done and Scriptures that we have read so that we can advance in our faith more and more. To disregard the apostle’s admonition to “do so” will lead us to dismiss a key element of discipleship and cause us to grow less and less rather than more and more.
Today consider your climb. Dwell on your Christian walk. Thank the Lord for His word that instructs you in how you ought to walk and please Him. Thank him that when your way gets difficult that you have His word to help you on your way. Ask the Lord Jesus to help you walk in a manner that would please Him more and more.
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