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2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Whether we are conscious of it or 
not, our thoughts about the future will have a huge impact on the way we live today. That’s probably most easily seen when we are worried about something. Perhaps a visit to the dentist, a meeting with our boss or a tense issue in the family which needs to be resolved. In this letter, Paul was particularly concerned that the Thessalonian church should have a clear understanding of the future that God had in store for them. He was quite clear that the return of Jesus was at the heart of this, but he was alarmed that some of the people had decided this was a reason to give up their jobs! Paul knew the believers needed to remain committed to their regular employment, alongside having a confidence that the Lord might return at any time. Paul wanted his readers to look to the future with hope because he was confident that the best was yet to be. It’s really important that we handle the word ‘hope’ carefully. Most of the time, there is a ‘maybe’ in our voice when we use the word. We hope it will be sunny tomorrow or that the train will run on time. That is to say, we would be delighted if these things happened, but we’ve lived long enough to know that they might not. When we use the word ‘hope’ in the context of these verses, there is no ‘maybe’ in our voice. We are talking about certainties. Because we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and know that our relationship with him is eternal, we look death in the face with peace and confidence. The biggest lie told to us by materialism is that this life is all there is. It’s easy to fall for that lie and become sucked into the world’s way of thinking. But the hope we have in Christ lasts for eternity, and he wants that knowledge to transform the way we live our daily lives. QUESTION What impact does your eternal security have on your daily life? PRAYER Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of eternal life. I pray that the way in which I live today will reflect the fact that I have a totally secure future. Amen