​Marvel at Jesus

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
 
A helpless feeling can often overwhelm faithful Christians and church leaders. There are many obstacles and troublemakers continually pushing against one’s faith and the church’s work. Each church through the ages has experienced this. But who is more powerful than the obstacles and the troublemakers? Of course, it is Holy God. God is just Paul declared to assure the threatened Thessalonica church.
   This must be a constant fact in our minds as we consider the world’s opposition. Paul reminded the church that God’s justice will ultimately separate the ungodly from the righteous. This is one reason we study end-time descriptions. We must steadfastly look through the current troubles against the faithful to see that God’s justice will be done on earth at the time he determines. How tragic to consider unbelievers will have eternal separation from God’s glory! To be shut out from the presence of God means the lost will have an eternal conscience understanding they cannot go to God (Luke 16). People too consumed with their own desires have no idea of the pain and suffering they will eternally know. To the darkened soul self glory becomes eternity’s agony.
   What a contrast to know the true church will marvel at Jesus’ glory. As children of light, we will all share in his glory.
   Think carefully about this. As we consider Jesus’ coming again, do we ever stop to wonder how we will react? Although we have no experience with Jesus’ full display of light, power and holiness, we can begin to understand through the eyes of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the disciples at Jesus’ Transfiguration, Paul’s conversion and Revelation. Each person who saw the visions of God’s holiness could only respond with complete wonder at God’s matchless wonder. Their own frailty against God’s purity overwhelmed each. Indeed, how marvelous it will be to gaze upon the risen Lord of Hosts, knowing we will be with him forever.
   Do the world’s challenges to the church cause you to wonder, “Is it worth fighting the battle?” You can be sure your answer is, “To God be the glory.”