2 Thessalonians 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. There are many kinds of elevation that man aspires to. 1. Mercantile elevation: men struggle to become the leading merchants of the age. 2. Civic: men strive hard for the posts of magistrate, mayor, statesman, premier. 3. Ecclesiastical: men labour to attain the posts of canon, dean, bishop. But all these involve not the true elevation of man. What, then, is true elevation? I. A CERTAIN STATE OF HEART IN RELATION TO THE DIVINE. 1. "The love of God" — the love of gratitude for the kindest Being, the love of reverence for the greatest Being, the love of adoration for the holiest and best Being. And all this is supreme. Thus centreing the soul on God we dwell in love, and therefore dwell in Him. 2. "Waiting for Christ." Looking forward and anticipating His advent to release us from all the sorrows and sins of this mortal state. This waiting requires patience: the wheels of His chariot seem to tarry. II. A CERTAIN STATE OF HEART PRODUCED BY THE DIVINE. "The Lord direct your hearts." The hearts of men in their unregenerate state are everywhere but in this direction, they are as sheep that have gone astray, prodigals that have left their Father's house, stars that have wandered from their orbits. Who shall bring them back? None can but the Almighty. Ministers may argue and entreat, but unless the Lord come to work their labour is all in vain. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.WEB: May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ. |
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