The Thursday after the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 20, 2026 by under
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24 (NKJV)
5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Devotion
With a sense of urgency, St Paul gives eight commands to his readers in just seven verses. Note these are not his own ideas, but are “God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” As we read the list, we can see they are roughly divided into two groups, one of attitude and one of action. In the first group, we are told to “rejoice always” and “in everything give thanks.” These words are easily understood when life is happy and easy, but very difficult to understand and believe during life’s darker moments.
But Scripture affirms what life’s faith lessons teach us. During difficult times, we are drawn closer to God (Rom. 5:3-5). Our faith is sharpened and refined (1 Pet. 1:7). We can also use such experiences to share the hope we have (1 Pet. 3:13-15). Because of such positive results, we can be assured that we’ll never be separated from our God (Rom. 8:39). By our “praying without ceasing,” we can, like the psalmist, bring all our thoughts and emotions before the throne of God, knowing He will use all of life’s circumstances for our eternal good.
Collect: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of Thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
