In Praise of the God Who Loves to Encourage

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thess. 2:16-17 

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Rom. 15:4

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     Heavenly Father, I praise you today for your compassion-driven, wisdom-laden, Swiss-timed commitment to encourage us. You could delegate a legion of angels or you could send a raven to feed us breakfast—either of which would be awesome, but instead, you personally come to us, in the Scriptures by your Spirit.

     The Bible is such a gift to us—a treasure trove of hope, an artesian spring of refreshment, a perpetual supply of redemptive surprises, an always-working GPS for return trips to gospel sanity.

     Indeed, the Scriptures are the “cradle of the Christ,” not a manual for self-reform or a rulebook for earning your favor. The Bible shows us that wisdom is a Person, the Lord Jesus—whom you’ve given to us as our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).  It reveals the depth of our need, so we might boast in the riches of your grace—a timely provision, indeed.

     Father, given the post-election climate in our country, may the “eternal encouragement, good hope, and endurance” of the gospel free us for a week of loving well in messy conversations. Give us a non-anxious presence as we engage the enraged, walk with the fearful and threatened, and interact with good friends who’ve experienced the election quite differently than us. 

     Our hearts break over the divisiveness, disunity, and disdain we are witnessing in our country. Please strengthen us “in every good deed and word.” Help us to listen without judging, dialogue with respect, and pray without ceasing.

     We praise you for your steadfast commitment to our encouragement and hope. May we live as conduits of both, in these coming weeks. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.