"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24
 
There is a wealth in these words that can only be hinted at in a brief meditation. We have here a prayer, a benediction, and an assurance. What St. Paul desired in his magnanimous heart for those early Christians in Thessalonica, we should desire for ourselves and our fellow Christians. These words are used by ministers in the laying on of hands in the confirmation service. They may well be used by Christian parents as their sons and daughters leave home to . . .

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24
 
There is a wealth in these words that can only be hinted at in a brief meditation. We have here a prayer, a benediction, and an assurance. What St. Paul desired in his magnanimous heart for those early Christians in Thessalonica, we should desire for ourselves and our fellow Christians. These words are used by ministers in the laying on of hands in the confirmation service. They may well be used by Christian parents as their sons and daughters leave home to go off to college, employment and warfare. Christian friends would do well occasionally to include this prayer and benediction in their correspondence.
 
Christian friends, we as God's redeemed children may wish for ourselves and our fellow believers noting less than what our heavenly Father desires for us. We have the assurance that God is faithful. He that called us into the fellowship of His Son is able and willing to keep us in His grace to the end. We need to ask the LORD to help us to concentrate on what we can do today to stay in line with His eternal goal for us.
 
O very God of very God
And very Light of Light
Whose feet this earth's dark valley trod
That so it might be bright
 
Our hopes are weak, our fears are strong
This darkness binds our eyes
Cold is the night, and O, we long
that Thou, our Sun, wouldst rise.
 
And even no, though dull and gray
The east is brightening fast
And kindling to the perfect day
That never shall be past
 
O guide us till our path is done
And we have reached the shore
Where Thou, our everlasting Sun
Art shining evermore.
 
We wait in faith, and turn our face
To where the daylight springs
Till Thou shalt come, our gloom to chase
With healing in Thy wings.
 
To God the Father power and might
both now and ever be
To Him that is the Light of Light
And Holy Ghost to Thee.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY- Keep eternity's goal in sight by walking daily in God's light.