Grip

We are making our way through Paul’s second letter to the Jesus followers in Thessalonica. Today, Paul talks about some very important exercises we need to practice.


2 Thessalonians 2
13 As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation - a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17 comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.


Grip. When we face injustice (like the Thessalonians were facing, check out 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5) and doubts (like the Thessalonians were facing, check out 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3), we have a choice. We can let go of our faith or we can strengthen our grip. Paul’s encouragement for them (and I believe us) was to strengthen their grip. The question is how do you do that? I think Paul eludes to it a couple verses later ... the idea that God will “comfort” us and “strengthen” us as we live out our faith ... through what we “do and say”. Every time you express grace in the face of injustice or forgiveness in the face of hurt or integrity in the face of deceit or love in the face of hate ... you exercise your faith and strengthen your grip.