In a fog this morn

Like clammy hands, the fog rolled in this morning, darkening the skies, dampening the large oak limbs, pressing down on the trees that line South 5th Street in Eunice.

Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, "Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone."

This morning it is foggy; I mean, foggy. I can't see much beyond the back door, into the yard, because it is, foggy. I thought it was dreary and rainy again when I arose, but turns out instead that it is foggy. Outside the window of the home office, the fog is something from a John Carpenter movie, as it creeps hither and yon. Heck, the fog seemingly takes away that peace Paul is writing about, takes away the encouragement and even makes me more fainthearted with a dollop of weakness thrown into the pot for good measure.

In Chapter 5 of Paul's letter, he writes of the Day of the Lord. He tells the church that "for you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. I imagine Paul is telling us that the day of the Lord will slip in, leaving us unaware of what is coming. He adds, "While people are saying, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

Slipping onto us.
Sneaking up on us.

That's the day of the Lord, that day of judgment Paul is writing about. Paul tells us clearly that we must keep awake and "be sober." Keeping our eyes open would be another way of watching the watchers.

Here's the point: When Jesus comes again, riding high in the sky as it were, He will do so so that we belong to the day, to the light. Paul tells his readers to put on the breastplate of faith and love, and "for a helmet the hope of salvation."

Paul tells the Thessalonican church God has not destined us for wrath, but for salvation. That sounds like a plan to me. The apostle tells us to encourage each other.