LESSON: 1 THESSALONIANS 2:11‒13

You are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:7

Our Lord, come! 1 Corinthians 16:22

See to it that you are always numbered among those who are good and merciful for Christ’s sake, or suffering for His sake. Then you can await the last day with joy and not be afraid of the judgment. For He has already drawn you out and set you up among those on His right hand.

We who are Christians should have the earnest desire and hope that the judgment would come, as we also pray in the words, “Thy kingdom come” and “Thy will be done” and “Deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:10, 13). Hence we shall also rejoice to hear the words, “Come, O blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). For this judgment we are waiting. This is one of our chief concerns as Christians. For the sake of this hope, we suffer oppression both from the devil and our own flesh, who try to upset our faith and joy in this regard. Then, too, we have to endure the tyranny and enmity of the world.

On all sides, we are forced to see and to hear the wanton malice which the devil and the world continually stir up against the Gospel, and so much wretchedness here on earth that we should become thoroughly fed up with this life and cry, “Come, dear Lord, come and redeem us!”

SL.XI.1893,22‒23 PRAYER: Lord Jesus, as Your disciples we look forward with joyful anticipation to Your coming to carry out Your work of judgment and to receive us to Yourself. Of Your mercy and grace, keep us ever steadfast in the faith so that Your glorious coming may be for us the consummation of all our hopes and joy, for Your love’s sake. Amen.