Daily Dose of Hope
September 18, 2024
Day 4 of Week 25

Scripture: Song of Solomon 7-8; Psalm 127; 2 Thessalonians 2

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. Just a reminder, tonight is Recharge in the Garage at 6:30pm. This is a wonderful time of worship, fellowship, prayer, and small community. Hope to see you there!

I should also mention that many of your program directors, along with myself, are in Houston this week for the New Room conference. Pray that we experience the Holy Spirit in a powerful way through the speakers and community. Pastor Roberto and Pastora Yamiley are headed to Costa Rica today for the first General Conference of the Global Methodist Church. Please, please pray for them – it’s going to be a long but hopefully very rewarding week for both of them.

We are finishing up the Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) today. The love dialogue is ending, are you guys upset about this? In these last two chapters, the themes of pure love, passion, commitment, acceptance, protection, and love “as strong as death.” I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this book. What do you think about this being included in Scripture? What have been your takeaways from Song of Songs?

Psalm 127 is another psalm of ascent, one of the psalms that the Hebrew pilgrims would sing as they made their way into Jerusalem. I really love the second half of this psalm, which celebrates the blessing of children. The psalmist writes that a person who has many children is like a warrior with many arrows in their quiver. This isn’t to say that it’s better to have lots of children, but more that each and every child is a blessing, unique with their own gifts and purpose.

Our New Testament reading is 2 Thessalonians 2. In chapter one, Paul addresses the issue of persecution. In this chapter, he addresses false teaching. The Thessalonian church was highly concerned by teachers stating that Jesus had already come. To make matters worse, these false teachers were claiming to have Paul's authority in the teaching. Paul tells them not to be "easily unsettled or alarmed," because none of it is true. Jesus will not return until certain things have occurred, a certain event must occur (the rebellion) and a certain man must appear (the man of lawlessness, possibly the antichrist).

The point of this chapter is not to make specific claims about the end of times but rather to prove to the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord, Jesus' second coming, had not yet arrived. It's obvious that Paul wants them to stand firm in the faith and not be so easily deceived. In verse 5, Paul asks them, Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? He is imploring them to remember the truth they were taught and live like mature believers, putting deep roots into truth. I often tell my kids to "remember who and whose they are." In some ways, I feel this is what Paul is telling the Thessalonians. Remember what I have taught you. Remember who you belong to. Don't allow the distractions and untruths of the world to get you off track or lead you astray. Friends, remember who and whose you are.

Blessings,
Pastor Vicki