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November
25, 2004
THE
LOVER AND CONSOLATION
"May
our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who
has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good
hope by grace, comfort your hearts" (2 Thessalonians
2:16, 17, NKJV).
Christ's
supreme love and tender solicitude for His people are beautifully
portrayed in this Pauline benediction.
We are
secure in the gospel because Jesus Christ Himself, in concert
with the Father, has loved us and given us eternal consolation
and good hope. The three powerful incentives for holding fast
to the gospel are love, consolation, and hope. In our Christian
pilgrimage we have the blessed assurance that Jesus Christ
Himself has loved us, that His consolation is everlasting,
and that the hope He has given us is no vague anticipation,
but a genuine and reliable hope. The "good hope"
as it is described here is the hope of redemption and the
final possession of the eternal inheritance at Christ's glorious
appearing.
The Greek
verb form translated, has loved us, is a clear reference
to a specific historical event. It spotlights "God's
unique act of love in giving His Son a sacrifice for our sins,
and the self-denying act of our Saviour in giving Himself.
(John 3:16; Titus 2:14)."--The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 7, p. 276.
Calvary
is the supreme manifestation of love and the sure basis of
consolation and genuine hope. Jesus Christ is the lover and
consolation of His redeemed people. We can rest assured that
He will keep the blessed hope of His glorious appearing ever
glowing in our hearts until that day. "We are pilgrims
and strangers who are waiting, hoping, and praying for that
blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. If we believe this and bring it into our practical
life, what a vigorous action would this faith and hope inspire;
what fervent love one for another; what careful holy living
for the glory of God."--Maranatha, p. 15.
My
Prayer Today: Lord, because you have loved me and
given me everlasting consolation, I can face tomorrow unafraid.
Amen.
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