1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

Summary: Paul is still attaboy-ing the church in Thessalonica, that even when Paul had to leave, he wanted to come back again. 

Response: If I'm honest at the moment, my home church feels like the opposite. Lord, I feel like people are more and more drawn away from my church. I understand ebbs and flows, but help me gain peace for this, and help me to be ready when the tide comes back in. 

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Summary: Paul recounts for the church in Thessalonica their story together: him, traveling in from persecution and working while preaching; them, open to the ideas presented even at the terrible cost of their own persecution. 

Response: Less bragging and more about recounting for each other (and other churches, who would definitely get this letter to read aloud)? Hard to tell without a ministerial degree. But in all seriousness, it's a great testimony. Why is my knee jerk reaction to a testimony to put down the human aspects and not glorify God for His involvement? Lord, help me to see You and believe You. 

1 Thessalonians 1:6-10

Summary: Paul continues his praise of the church in Thessalonica, how they turned from idols and followed the way of Jesus instead, becoming a great example for churches in their area. 

Response: It's not directly in here, but I struggle with witnessing in a position of power. I'm a teacher. Students depend on me for all sorts of things. I feel like I can't, in good conscience, tell them my beliefs in the same manner that I tell them facts about my subject. I put up big warning signs anytime we broach the topic. But I do my best to show my beliefs. Lord, help me to show, even if I don't tell, of Your love. 

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Summary: Paul is back. He has very fond experiences with the people in the church in Thessalonica, that they had such effort towards the work of the church and accepted the gospel so readily. 

Response: I'm not nearly to the point that I remember offhand which Pauline letter goes to which kind of church or what topics will get covered. And if this book is speaking to one that didn't question much and got to work fairly early, this might be good for me to hear. Lord, help me listen for You in this letter. Help it to change me for the better. 

1 Peter 5:5-14

Summary: Peter finishes up, adding one last submission (young church workers, to their elders) and one more hope of suffering (after a little while, God will Himself take care of you). And he sends greetings from one church to another, and he's out. 

Response: Submission, suffering, grace. It's what I hear over and over again in this letter. Lord, help me to submit to the authorities You have chosen to be in my life. Help me to accept suffering with joy. And help me to see and accept Your blessings for me. Help me to be part of Your Church. 

1 Peter 5:1-4

Summary: Summarizing himself (that: we have been chosen for God's work, that that work often looks like submitting to those around us, and that any suffering that may come will ultimately bring God glory), Peter then applies his thoughts to church leaders. He tells them to act towards those who follow them like a shepherd would with his flock: not as just a paid duty or as a lavish position of influence, but instead as a kind and helping exemplar of the faith. Peter says that this will lead to true glory, just not in this world. 

Response: I am certainly guilty of wanting those two in any amount. Lord, help me to care for those You would have me disciple. Let me see how to help, but first slow me down enough to see. 

1 Peter 4:16-19

Summary: Peter gives another reason for Christians to be okay with suffering: judgement is coming, and if it's this bad for us, think of how it will be for those who don't know Jesus!

Response: I'm trying very hard for it to be anything other than "yeah, make 'em suffer!" Mostly because that's terrible. I could treat it as knowing that is an option for others and working diligently for them to avoid that fate, but showing others cruelty to placate "fairness" doesn't sit well with me. 

Lord, help me to understand this passage. Help me to see those I need to bring You to, and help my heart break for the consequences of their choices. 

1 Peter 4:12-15

Summary: Peter again encourages believers who suffer for their faith: to expect it, to rejoice in it, to count it as a blessing, and not to do crimes to get it. 

Response: Suffering for doing good, and suffering for doing evil... Sounds like Peter just expects suffering to happen in this life. And I can take that for myself, it's when it affects my spouse or kids that I have a hard time giving in. 

Lord, You planned out this life. What I see as suffering is just another paint in your palette. Help me to trust in You. 

1 Peter 4:7-11

Summary: Since Christ's return is so near, Peter reasons, we should be nice to each other. The body of the church should function well together. 

Response: There's a bit more to it than "be nice," but not by much. It's a "do this" paragraph, which I like a whole lot better than "don't do this" paragraphs, until I have to do them.

Lord, supply Your strength when I serve. I can't do it alone. 

1 Peter 4:1-6

Summary: Peter talks to those who have suffered for their faith, noting their new resolve: they don't feel a need to go along with the frivolous actions of worldly people. Instead, these people, who are dead as far as the world concerns, can go on and live on God's terms. 

Response: Have I suffered for my faith? I'm a white protestant male in America. There is no blatant persecution here. (There just isn't, you can give that up.) I might overwork myself on church stuff sometimes, but it's not really suffering. 

I'm not sure I should ask to suffer. I don't want my family to be collateral, after all. But I do desire to be dead to the world, not dead to God. And sometimes I feel pushed that way. 

So, Lord, I'm going to try to be open to suffering in Your name. Help me to trust in you regardless of consequences. 

1 Peter 3:18-22

Summary: Peter makes some comparisons and contrasts in examples: Jesus suffered in the good He was doing, Jesus was put to death in the physical realm but was very much alive in spirit, and the flood of Noah foreshadows the baptism in showing us a watery immersion and a promise of God's mercy. 

Response: This feels all over the place. Jesus to spirits(???) to Noah is a big set of leaps with little correlation in my mind. I know I'm guilty of very distant metaphors, but I usually connect it back fairly quickly. Lord, I want to understand; help me in my misunderstanding. 

1 Peter 3:13-17

Summary: Peter tells the reader that we will be better examples of following Jesus if we live committed to that good. Evil may find us, but we don't do evil back. 

Response: Here again I am looking at what I need to do, what is hard for my students to do. Truth be told, none of us can do it alone. We need that help from You, Lord!

1 Peter 3:8-12

Summary: Peter throws out a list of qualities of followers of Jesus, telling us to get along smoothly and kindly. He claims that fuller blessings are in store for those who pursue peace. 

Response: I just have to see each part of the list play out, and I'm sorry to say that I don't see it often in my line of work. My clientele is between nine and twelve years old, and they cannot figure out between them how this kindness thing works. Mandating it really isn't working for my biggest offenders. Lord, help me to be an instrument of your peace in my classroom today. 

1 Peter 3:1-7

Summary: Just kidding, more practical examples. Peter maps out how submission in marriage can help win people over for Christ. Wives can be valued for their actions and not just their rhetoric or beauty. Husbands can work with their wives and not just order them around. By treating each other as actual humans, they can be a witness just by living life. 

Response: As I get older, I start to realize when I'm in a no-win situation. Peter is at the ready to stick his foot in his mouth here. I might almost have him untangled, but he's still a bit hopeless. It almost sounds like he's focusing (weirdly) on how other people's wives should dress and do their hair, but I can try to force a reading where the culture of the time had a wife's beauty as the only redeeming quality, that they may as well not exist if they aren't pretty, and Peter is trying to say that they have worth all the same. In the same way, I can see Peter telling husbands they can force their way on their wives, or I could see it as a step up from considering them to be subhuman. I'm trying to be charitable here!

In that case, I think Peter has a point. A couple working together well is a powerful thing, and two spouses committed to the work of the Church is often a recipe for success. I am constantly in awe of the grace, patience, and perseverance my own wife shows for our kids and others' kids as well. Getting to work with her is a joy and a privilege. Lord, help me to see it and appreciate it. 

1 Peter 2:22-25

Summary: Peter finishes up this part of the discussion (again, loosely, "bring glory to God by being humble and accepting personal suffering") by turning again to Jesus: through the words of Isaiah, he shows how Christ took all the suffering meant for us and did not fight back. 

Response: Lord, get me closer and closer to Jesus' example. Help me to put the phone down, turn off the teacher voice, and meet people where they are at. Help me to shoulder or at least acknowledge the burdens of others.

1 Peter 2:18-21

Summary: Peter continues to give practical examples of how experiencing God should change us. In this case, he's mentioning, umm, "household servants" and how they can show that change by submitting to the household they work for whether they are kind or not. 

Response: There's a lot of minefield in this short passage! A lot of people have done terrible things with this as their cudgel! I'm probably closer to the oppressor than the oppressed here, and that sucks!

But. We've seen this before in other scripture, heading all the way back to Job. The writers acknowledge that, yeah, the world isn't perfect. We don't get to wait to have perfect conditions in order to start the change to bring heaven to earth. We have to start where we are. 

So I guess it's okay that I'm starting again on this, on a busy Sunday in the middle of a book I haven't touched since August, on a device that has been very effective at keeping me zoned out for the better part of the school year. Lord, meet me where I am. I think I'm finally ready to listen.