Scripture: 1st Thessalonians 1:9-10
For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Thought for the Day: We are coming upon an important Sunday…and I’m not talking about a week from tomorrow when the NFL’s Championship Game is played. The really important news is that tomorrow is Laity Sunday, a special time in the life of our tradition when we reconnect with our unique heritage. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has always been a tradition that celebrates the work and ministry of the people. Ministers (clergy) are seen as partners with the people, not as those who do the work on behalf of the people. It is a shared and active responsibility to do the work of the Gospel. In the passage from 1st Thessalonians (the earliest of Paul’s writings that we have), we hear about those who turned to God and now wait for his Son. It sounds as if the task of the people is to ‘wait’ as in hunker down and do nothing. The Greek word scholars have translated as “wait for” in this passage is Anemeno. It is two words — ana: in the midst of -and- mano: to remain or abide. The simple translation of “waiting for” makes it sound like someone sitting at a bus stop who does nothing more than stare down the block in hopes of seeing the bus come around the corner. As Paul writes this letter, I doubt he is celebrating the transformed life of these individuals by then telling them to grab a snack, pull up a chair, and just wait. Instead, I think the word here is an invitation to – continue to be present among -or- to remain in the midst of – God’s loving gift. It is an invitation for all to abide with Christ, and those who remain in the midst of this holy presence do not twiddle their thumbs in some sort of ritual born out of sheer boredom. Instead, they serve the living Christ, not simply a task for those who are paid, but all the people who are the Body of Christ in the world.
Prayer: As you have come among us, O Lord, we strive to abide with you. May our growing connection empower us to be your representatives to the world–to do so in such a way that others will talk about what they have seen. Amen.
