Prayed up

It's a simple phrase that bible gateway.com offers as its morning devotional: "But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one." Paul writes this to the church in Thessolonica. It is a simple phrase, but it is a powerful one.

It changes everyone, and everything. The Lord is faithful. God offers a word that is both powerful and chilling.

He will strengthen
He will guard
He is faithful.

All this works because of Him. Nothing we do is needed, is necessary, is useful. It is about Him.

The church walls might be caving in. The piano player might have left town. The floors might be more warped that one would think possible. The yard might need plowing under rather than cutting.

But He will strengthen, guard, and remain faithful.

In context, the sentences before and after this master stroke of theological goodness read this way:

"Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord's message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer."

Thus we get Paul's marching orders. He's moving, so to speak, so he asks for this previous church to pray him up, cover him in prayers, douse him in prayer. Before he moves, he moves.

Then in the fourth and fifth verses, "And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you. May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ."

Mary and I are finishing packing in the next five days. We are awaiting our final purchase of boxes to arrive tomorrow, and then we will finish the job. The movers come early Tuesday. A long day will follow. We will have a place to lay our heads by Tuesday night.

Those are facts. So what I'm asking is for you to pray for us, and for all United Methodist preachers who are hitting the road in the next few days. Pray for their families. Pray for their ministries, their churches, the youth who will come in contact with that preacher. Pray them up so they can be confident in the Lord to lead their hearts to a full understanding and expression of the Love of God."

Then let's hit the road.

That's me, not Paul, saying that.