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You Lift Me Up
John Tilton1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
These scriptures summarize Paul’s encouragement and review of their call to and efforts with the Thessalonians throughout the chapter … some of his words coming forth as insightful, some as admonishing, some has correcting like a tough love; but most as a direct and underlying encouragement and exhortation. It’s presented as a father would admonish and encourage a son in the facts, pitfalls of life; yet imploring the son to know that all is possible if one would follow suit in obedience and living lives worthy of God.
There is a song with the lyrics “you lift me up, so I can stand on mountains.” These scriptures remind me of the importance of exhortation and encouragement of those we are blessed to lead or seed into for whatever time we may have. That exhortation and encouragement often will need to be mixed in with correction and being mindful of the facts, even if they are challenging and correcting, yet with a summation of encouragement and exhortation. Building up and lifting up people with hope, possibilities, gifting and the promises of God, is in fact instilling in them an IQ that is beyond the standard intelligence IQ, but what I would call “inspirational quotient” from God.
Dear Lord, I thank you for reminding me of the importance of encouragement and exhortation with those I lead, my family and those that I may have a moment to influence. You have lifted us up to the heavens by sacrificing your Son to die on the cross for our sins that we might know eternal life. As you lifted us up, I pray that I would also pray that I might be able to lift others up in encouragement and exhortation to be all that they can be in you.
