“so that He may strengthen and establish your hearts without blame in holiness in the sight of our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (God’s people).” 1 Thessalonians 3:13 AMP
Reflection: how would you describe a “purified heart”?
It is hard to know our strength. Most of us probably like to think that we are pretty strong. That we can handle difficulties, whatever this world can throw at us. But, we really don’t know our strength until we are tested. Of course, none of us like the process of being tested. It can be very hard, and we might even wonder why this, whatever it is, is happening to us. We pray for the Lord to take it away. But sometimes He doesn’t. And, as we go through it, we start to understand what actually matters. That some of the worldly things fade, things we used to chase after, and we are left with something more pure. We read from Revelation Jesus saying “I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see.” Revelation 3:18 AMP.
Interesting verse, right? A lot of people are buying gold and precious metals these days, with all the uncertainty in the world financial markets. But what is the “gold” that Jesus is talking about here, He has purified Himself, that we can buy from Him to become “truly rich”? In the focus verse today, we see Paul making a very interesting connection, or consequence, as he starts with the words “so that”. Let’s read it one more time “so that He may strengthen and establish your hearts without blame in holiness in the sight of our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (God’s people).” 1 Thessalonians 3:13 AMP There is a lot here to unpack and think about, but let’s focus on the assertion to “strengthen and establish your heart”. And, since this is a consequence, we have to go back to the previous to understand what exactly will create a strengthened heart.
We read “Now may our God and Father Himself, and Jesus our Lord guide our steps to you [by removing the obstacles that stand in our way]. And may the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;” 1 Thessalonians 3:11-12 AMP. Did you see here what Paul is claiming that will strengthen our hearts? He seems to be saying that it is love, right? Can that be right? I mean, aren’t we mostly equating love with something soft, even weak? Like Jesus said “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:44 ESV. We might shy away from this verse, because we think in a way it is the weakest thing to do, right? But, let’s be careful here.
Would you say God is weak? Of course not. Or, was Jesus in any way weak when he suffered and died for us on the cross? Of course not. It was a point of the biggest battle, and also the biggest victory for Christ and us, right? Yet, we also say that God is love, right? If an Almighty God, with infinite strength and power, even victorious over sin and death, is also the very definition of love, of who we desire to be more like, we might be able to understand Paul’s assertion that an increase in love, in God’s love, is an increase in real strength. And when we really stop to think about this connection between love and strength, we understand that takes a lot more “strength” to love those who hate you, than those who are your best friends. Loving your best friends is pretty easy. But Jesus loved us so much that, while we were still sinners, He died for us. He had no assurance that any one of us would receive Him, believe in Him and follow Him. Yet He paid it all. Talk about strength!
A purified heart of gold.
Refined of selfish ambition, of “evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander”, Matthew 15:19b ESV. A purified and strengthened heart, that will still stand after the battle, doing what is right when it is the most difficult, that can love as He did, “without blame in holiness in the sight of our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (God’s people).” 1 Thessalonians 3:13b AMP.
