Good morning, good people,
May the Lord bless you with peace and health in the Holy Spirit.
It is 02nd September 2025.
We reflect on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11 and the Gospel of Luke 4:31-37.
John Maxwell wisely says, “We are either preparing or repairing.”
Yes, our life is a preparation—an ongoing journey to bring out the best in us and in all that we do. Every moment we prepare ourselves to face the next challenge. That is why it is often said that football is a game where every 40 seconds the team plots its next move or attack. In the same way, to succeed in life, we must move beyond being self-directing and self-correcting and instead grow in authentic relationships that lead us to ultimate fulfilment in Christ.
A beloved elephant of the king once fell into muddy quicksand before his very eyes. The king summoned the best men to rescue it, but all their efforts failed, and the elephant sank deeper into despair. Just then, an elder suggested to the king that they beat the drums and sound the trumpets as though a war had broken out. The king obeyed. At the sound of the war drums and trumpets, the sinking elephant was stirred with new energy and rose from the mud.
So too, are we not often trapped in muddy life situations that make us lose hope—in the Lord, in others, even in ourselves?
The New Testament reminds us again and again of the reality of judgment: the “day of redemption” (Eph 4:30), the “day of God” (2 Pet 3:12), the “day of Christ” (1 Cor 1:8; Phil 1:6), the “last day” (John 6:39), the “great day” (Jude 6), or simply “the day” (2 Thess 1:10).
St. Augustine encourages us, “The day of the Lord will not come to destroy the faithful, but to crown them.” St. Paul speaks of the day of the Lord. It will surely come, though no one knows when. None of us will be exempt from it. He exhorts us: “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” (1 Thess 5:11). To be ready for the Lord’s Day, we must avoid words and actions that weaken our unity and our relationships.
The day of the Lord is not meant to threaten us, but to awaken us from sleep—to shed light on the dark corners of our lives and call us back into His presence. It does not exist to frighten us, but to uplift us.
Jesus is not merely the messenger of the Father—He is our redemption and salvation. In Him, we have nothing to fear. The authority of Jesus was felt even by the dominion of darkness because His authority was rooted in His relationship with the Father. That same power is entrusted to us, so long as we remain close to Jesus.
Is our life truly near to Jesus? May the Lord grant us grace to be ever prepared for His Day by encouraging, strengthening, and building up one another.
Have a peaceful day. God bless you.