1 THESSALONIANS 4:9–10 – Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more.
THEME OF THE DAY. A WOW FACTOR TEXT. Don’t miss the “wow factor” in today’s scripture. Speaking of the “wow factor”, one great danger we face as Christians is losing the “wow factor” in the things of God. And it may come upon us with ease. We begin to forget what it cost to be a Christian – Christ’s life and blood. We lose the wonder of the Bible – God gave us His book to know Him, know ourselves, and how to live for Him. Prayer becomes form and mechanical – the language of love between a reconciled Father and His children is missing. The glorious future of seeing Christ is rarely thought upon. When the “wow factor” is absent so is first love for Christ. Our Christianity loses vibrancy, intimacy, and God is more a religious concept than a living reality. Now getting back to the “wow factor” of today’s scripture . . .
Do we see it? Better yet, are we experiencing it? Go deep in our thinking with what I am about to share. The God who by His Word created all things; who rules over the entire universe with absolute sovereignty; who raises the dead with just one sentence, “Lazarus, come out” (John 11:43); who loved, not good people, but sinners, enemies and rebels against Him enough to send His spotless Son to die for them; and if those aren’t enough “wows” to melt our hearts, surrender our wills, and produce a life of praise and worship, we should check for a “spiritual pulse” in our hearts! But get this, this God has so condescended to us that He is willing to teach us to love the right way, His way, not the selfish human way – for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another. That is a big “wow” worthy of our contemplation.
So, the conclusion and application is two-fold. First, how is the “wow factor” meter working in our lives? There is not a day goes by that we cannot experience the “wow factors” concerning our God. By observing a sunrise, sunset, or looking into the face of a newborn, we may capture some of the greatness of our Creator God producing “wow” in our hearts. And then the contemplation of the Gospel. Christian, when is the last time you got alone with God, not to ask Him for something, but simply to meditate on the “wow factor” of the Gospel that began with And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). That is the greatest source of creating the “wow factor” in our hearts!
The second part of the conclusion and application is tied into today’s “wow factor” scripture. Is God teaching you, me, how to love both Him and His people? The Christian life is a progressive life of love for God and people. Are we? Well, the start point is experience the “wow factors” in the things of God. In that place, we are humbled, and thus made teachable before Him – a teachability allowing us to learn to love as He would have us!
PRAYER: “Father, make me a ‘good student’ in Your ‘school of love’ as evidenced by my loving as You command.”
QUOTE: “God is willing to teach how to love as He commands. Are we eager and quick to learn from Him?”