Assurance

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, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

THE THESSALONIANS FACED some steep problems in their day. Persecution. Fear. Misunderstanding of God’s truth. Paul wrote to them to correct some of those problems. But here in today’s verses he speaks of something that goes beyond all of those things.

Here we find Paul’s words of assurance that although he will do what he can to help the people of God, the ultimate truth is that God himself will take up all the slack and help far beyond anything Paul could do. Think about it. Though you probably have a kind pastor who can offer you counsel and friendship, though you have good Christian friends who can help, and though you even have God’s Word to bolster you in times of trouble, the greatest truth of all is Jesus himself.

It’s the person and presence of Jesus that ultimately meet our greatest needs. With him inside us, we can face anyone and anything.

Are you depending on him for all your needs of comfort and power? He gives his word that he will give you all you need, and then some.