The Unknown Hour

1Thessalonians 5:8 "But Let us,who are of the day,be sober,putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet the hope of Salvation".



None of us know when this will occur, but Jesus is comming back.Jesus Himself said," No one knows except the Father". Like a thief coming in the night or a woman who goes into labor,we have no idea when these events will occur.So what shall we do in the meantime? Live in expectancy of Jesus' return. Live out your days in His light,not in the darkness.Jesus reminded believers to remember Noah.The people were partying, drinking, paying no attention to the message Noah was preaching,and all out side the Ark when the floods came parished.Paul warns us "Don't be like others,sleeping and getting drunk, having no awareness of  what's going on around you.Put on faith,love and the hope of salvaion". The point is, Jesus is coming back.Unbelievers laugh and mock,"where is this Jesus" (some believers live as though they don't believe he is coming back).Believers can lose faith and become discouraged,so Paul tells us to encourage one another and build each other up.

Paul instructed the Thessalonians to arm themselves with three virtues:faith and love as a breastplate, followed by the hope of salvation as a helmet. A Roman soilder's breastplate protected his vital organs from neck to waist.In spiritual warfare,it protects the heart from satan's attacks as the helmet of salvation protects the mind,reminding us that we are saved,thus children of the light.

The idea of faith ,hope, and love being armor may sound strange to us.Armor is a military image and faith ,hope, and love are not exactly military mottos.See these three virtues protect us from the root of most of our sin:selfishness.In selfishness,we think about what we want and how we can get more of what we want and control situations. But to welcome faith ,hope, and love in our lives(with the help of the Holy Spirit) is to move away from selfish craving,clutching,and fussing over things.Instead of trying to control situations, we choose to trust God, thus having faith he will work it out.Instead of being cynical about ourselves and our life, we choose to pray in times of trials and tribulations, holding on to the hope that lies within God and his word.Instead of putting ourselves first, we choose to do what is best for another,like Christ when His love for us put our needs above His own.

Let us live in the faith that Jesus has all power, the hope of our salvation and having love one for another the way Christ loved us.