Devotion for Today: "What is Lacking" I Thess 3:8-10

"What is Lacking" I Thess 3:8-10

Have you ever left to go on a trip, having packed rather hurriedly,

and then sensed that somewhere along the way that something was missing

or that you had forgotten to do something?  About ten years ago, my

lovely wife surprised me with a birthday trip to Philadelphia by train

from Union Station in Washington, D.C.  The day arrived and we

packed and made our way to the station.  When we arrived at the platform,

the conductor asked to see our tickets.  I reached into my jacket

pocket to retrieve them, only to discover that they were not there.

Robin searched her purse to no avail. Frantic, we searched our luggage-

still no train tickets.  The train was due to leave in about thirty

minutes.  "What do we do?" We asked the conductor.  The conductor

smiled, "Happens all the time!  If you have a reservation, the ticket

agent will be happy to produce new tickets if you can verify ID."  We

thanked him for his help and were able to secure new tickets for the

journey, and boarded the train just in time.

We found the lost tickets when we returned home. They were sitting

on the coffee table next to the telephone.  We had called someone

about the care of our children and were discussing the travel

arrangements and pulled them out of the luggage to look at them. We

had just forgotten to put them back.

Of course, such a time of panic might well have been avoided had we

made certain that we had the tickets before we left the house.  But

this happens, sometimes.  We were just glad we had what we needed to

get new ones made.  In life, we may not always be able to take time to

be sure that we have what we need, only to discover ourselves severly

short of resources at a crucial time.  Our faith is like that as well.

Many do not take the time to build their faith and personal relationship

with God because they are hurriedly going about the pace of life.  Its

not that they feel its important, but the focus of other things crowds

out the essential.

But then the "big trip" comes.  Suddenly people find themselves having

crossed over death's threshold before they realize what has happened.

And Christ asks for the credentials to enter into Heaven and these

same people realize that they have left it sitting on the coffee table-

the plan of salvation inside their Bibles which they never took time

to read and make a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul commends the church in Thessaloniki because of their

faith and love (verse 6).  He was concerned that because he had to

leave in such a hurry that he might have forgotten to lay the sufficient

ground-work for their effective growth in commitment to Jesus Christ:

"For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.  For what thanks can we

render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your

sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may

see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?"

There are others who have just what they need to take them to Heaven,

but there are things lacking to give them the joy and hope needed to

sustain them in this life.  May the Lord help you to search your heart

to see what is lacking.  Perhaps you lack discipline, or courage, or

maybe you continually fall into temptation.  Is there a lack of love

there to point others to the Savior?  Is peace lacking to help you

combat worry and frustration?  May the Lord help you check your

spiritual baggage today, so that there is nothing lacking.  Have a

blessed day.

(from 10 April 2001)

Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@earthlink.net

Devotion for Today