Encouragement for Your Week: November 23-29

This Week’s Verse

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV

Devotion

Our verse for the week is a benediction that the Apostle Paul pronounced over the Thessalonian Church to which his letter was addressed. What, exactly, is a benediction? A benediction is a blessing that is pronounced by a church official over an individual or group of church members. Benedictions are usually pronounced at the end of a church service. In this case, Paul pronounced his benediction at the end of his letter.

Paul’s benediction is a prayer that the Thessalonian Church would have the peace that comes from the “Lord of peace.” “Peace” in this context should be understood in an all-inclusive sense. It is peace with the Lord Himself, with the people of the Lord, and with people outside of the Church. The Lord is the giver of peace, because He has established peace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Paul is pronouncing one of the blessings that comes from faith in Jesus Christ.

The apostle desires that this peace will be operative for the Thessalonian Church “at all times and in every way.” Peace is not something that we need only sometimes. We need it all the time. We need perpetual peace with the Lord, with the Church, and with those outside the Church. We need peace for now and for all eternity in every way, shape, and form. We will still have to contend with discord and disharmony if we only have peace in some ways and not in others. Peace is probably the highest blessing that Paul could have pronounced over the Thessalonian Church.

Paul began his letter by giving thanks to the Lord for the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1:3), and he closes the letter with the blessing, “The Lord be with you all.”

We pray that this week, the Lord of peace will grant you peace at all times and in every way, and  that He will be with you wherever you go and in whatever you do.

This Week’s Challenge

Think about one relationship in your life—at home, school, church, or work—where you know there’s tension, misunderstanding, or distance. This week, choose to do one intentional action to bring peace into that relationship. It could be: sending an encouraging text, apologizing for something you said or did, listening without interrupting, choosing not to argue back, or doing a small act of kindness. At the end of the week, reflect on how taking a step toward peace changed your heart and your interactions.