Thessalonians Revisited
It's been a little over a month since I last posted here. Once I posted my last post for the Thessalonians Words Challenge, I took a break from my blog. I often find after posting daily for a month straight that I need to take some time off from it.
That is not the case for making art. I don't often find a need to take a break from it for the simple reason that making art and getting creative are a vital part of my life. My time spent in creativity is like nutrition to my spiritual, emotional and mental life.
I haven't left the Thessalonian letters yet. In addition to the Words Challenge I have also spent the summer doing a Bible study through these books with a few friends. We have just a few more weeks before we complete 2 Thessalonians.
I have found so much encouragement in these letters for the times we face. I have found over the past few years that I cannot align myself with either of the two major political parties in the U.S. Both have such glaring faults and both seem to be leaning toward the extreme ends of the spectrum. Which, I believe, is what is causing such extreme divisiveness in our nation. That divisiveness is in direct contrast to how Christ calls us to live in the world, and it deeply saddens me.
I find myself often, through this Bible study in Thessalonians, seeing a clear call on how followers of Christ are called to live:
Encouraging one another to live lives worthy of God; encouraging, strengthening and building each other up in times of crisis; increasing and overflowing in love for each other and for everyone else; living in peace with each other; being kind to each other and to everyone else; being joyful, continually praying, living with gratitude. *
What I haven't found in Thessalonians is fighting with each other and using hateful language on social media, hating people who disagree with you politically, putting national rights before our call to sacrifice and to serve and love others, hating those who look different than you, being unkind to people simply because of their political views, their skin color, or their economic status - I don't find any of these in the Thessalonian letters, or for that matter, anywhere in the New Testament where we take our call on how to live as Christ's followers.
I can get upset easily about the divisiveness that is plaguing our nation, and even our churches, but I have been trying to use these admonitions from Paul to remind me of who I am and how I am called to live. We need to stand against the inclination to allow thing like politics and racism divide us and cause us to hate. We must love, and let that be what guides our words, our attitudes, and our actions. Would you join me in this? If we live this way, imagine what can change!
I had originally planned on doing the Thessalonians Words Challenge in my junk journal, but then had changed my mind and did it in my everyday Leuchtturm journal. I had made a collage of the Thessalonians words in my junk journal before I began doing the daily challenge posts and art, but I forgot about it until I picked up my junk journal to begin a new challenge. It was a pleasant surprise!
My Leuchtturm journal started getting pretty chunky after the words challenge.
Later this week I'll delve into the other ways I have been keeping my art practice active. Blessings to you all!
*1 TH 2:12, 3:2-3, 5:11; 1 TH 3:12, 4:9, 2 TH 3:3; 1 TH 5:13, 5:15, 5:16, 5:17, 5:18.
