Original Entry: February 27, 2008
McMinnville, OR
1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
From 1994 until the year 1999 our family vacations consisted of road trips to Shanna’s family in Boise, Idaho. Prior to our arrival Shanna called her upbeat cousin Amos who agreed to take me into the Red Mountains for a high country trout fishing trip. Like a dog that hadn’t seen his master in a week, Amos, was excited as he prepped me about his secret hot spot six miles off the beaten path.
I knew there might be a problem with Amos’ secret hot spot when he confessed that even though he had directions he had never personally been there.
Being young and stupid we decided to go for it making the two hour into the red Mountains until we reached the trail head. With poles in hand we hiked a well groomed trail for nearly two hours until we found the secret lake. It was everything we had hoped for and the cutthroat trout were not only huge but literally jumping everywhere. Excitedly we started casting but after three hours of cast after cast I had landed and released one monster trout that was approximately five inches long! Frustrated, we decide to leave while the two to three pound trout continued to insult our egos with each splash.
This, however, is where the story begins.
About one mile down the trail it forked the left leading to our car, and the right to God only knows where. At the crossroads, and without hesitation Amos stayed right or the “God-only-knows-where” fork. Being the tourist I distinctly remember saying to myself, “I know we need to go left but he was the guide and must know something I do not.” Silently I walked in his footsteps for what seemed like forever, constantly questioning his directions yet choosing to remain silent so as to not insult my local guide.
After three miles of walking Amos stopped dead in his tracks and turned around and said, “I need to tell you that I have no idea where we are.” At that point I asked him why he had gone right instead of left at the trail crossroads to which he replied, “What! I have been looking for that and was wondering why I couldn’t find it!”
At that point I took charge, got in front and had him follow me until three grueling hours later we were back at the truck with another great story, but no fish!
In this passage Paul prays that “the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” The gospel message revolves around God’s love for his people. Jesus mission was, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10).
I remember reading about a time Billy Graham was asked about the gospel message and he simple stated that it is found in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The message of God’s love has lead many to Christ over the years but so often we stop there. I have met too many men trapped in the half truth of God’s love and have wandered down the trail of God’s grace into a life of sin.
However they have forgotten hat the trail forks. Yes, God’s grace leads us to His love (Ephesians 2:8-10) but forks to “Christ’s perseverance.” You see it is through God’s love that we learn to suffer, endure and grow in the things of God.
Perseverance takes the man of God down a trail that will change him forever (James 1:2-3). The trail of the man who rejects Christ is the gentle path that meanders away from the high road of endurance, suffering and growth. Sadly it is a trail many once godly men chose and now float in the gray area between radical commitment to Jesus and hedonism (Love of pleasure). Jesus told u s that it is the trail many choose (Matthew 7:13).
So which path will you choose?
Will you choose the path flowing out of God’s love to suffering, endurance and growth? Or will you choose the pain free trail that is nothing more that a temporary path of loving pleasure and leads a man far form the cross? Men walk the trail of Jesus.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).
