Assembled by God

Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God's amazing grace be with you! God's robust peace! (The Message; Eugene Peterson)
As Paul begins his letter to the Church in Thessalonica he begins with a typical greeting one would not change very much if it was written today. He says hello from Silas and Timothy and it is written to those "Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ."  Paul then wishes them God's peace.
There are a few things that we can take from these first few lines of Paul’s letter.


1. We need to remember that the communities we find ourselves in are, "assembled by God", that is God brought us together we are not just a collective of people on individual journeys, but one people on God's journey. All too often people forget who bought them together and for what. Churches are much like football teams a football team is chosen to build the team that a coach thinks can win the Grand Final.  Some have a youth policy striving for future success and going the whole journey together others look for more experience with a mix of youth and experience where the younger learn from the older. This is just like churches; God is the coach pulling the people in for that team.  What needs to happen is that we need to start doing our part in the team we are assembled by God and that is one coach to keep happy! Stop pointing fault at your team members find out just why God has assembled you all together!
2. God's peace is robust! It is not weak it can stand the tests of life! Trust Him!  Rest in his peace it does not mean life will suddenly be easy but you will have the peace to live through it! If work is hard God's peace is robust enough to carry you through. If a loved one is ill God's peace is robust enough for you and for them!  It is a peace that is found in the amazing grace of God! A grace that comes freely from a wonderful God!
So live in this peace and journey with those God has assembled you with!