Selah: Day 2

What is selah? Why selah? Take a look at Selah: Day 1 to find out. Already read Selah: Day 1? Continue to the next day below!

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Selah: Day 2
Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to focus on one of the emotions that He highlighted in Selah: Day 1. Ask the Holy Spirit:

• What event in my life was this emotion a response to?

• Why am I still responding to that event with that emotion?

• What events in my present trigger this emotion to be directed toward others?

• What do you want to heal in my mind, will, and emotions?

Sit and selah.

Allow God to fill this unfamiliar, mysterious space. Perhaps He will have you be still. Maybe He will ask you to listen to something that He wants to say to you. Perhaps today is a day for tears, laughter, or anger. Maybe today God will begin to heal. Perhaps healing will become complete. Healing is in His hands.

Selah with the Lord today.

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Selah: Day 1

The use of selah first appears in Psalm 3 where it is used three times. Selah is used 70 times in the Psalms and in Habakkuk 3:3, 9, and 13.* Despite its frequent use in these texts, the exact meaning of selah is illusive.* Often believed to be used in a musical context, many scholars believe selah to mean “pause” or musical interlude.* Often the word selah is used to divide ideas within a text, lending some credibility to its use as a musical term.*

The book of Psalms is a book of emotion. Anger, sadness, grief, joy, hope, faith, trust, courage, tragedy, repentance… these are just some of the sentiments expressed through the psalms. Their presence in the Holy Word of God permissions us to bring all of our emotions honestly to our God who cares. During these times of expression, it is important to pause. Perhaps that pause gives time to listen. Perhaps that pause gives time to rest. Perhaps that pause allows us to contemplate.

Whatever the case, and whatever the exact meaning of selah, we must pause in the processing of life.

I find it interesting that a word that is so often used and that must hold great importance to be included in the words that God chose to express His heart for humanity is largely a mystery. What does it mean?

The mysteries of God invite us to draw close to God in relationship. They beckon us to abandon formula and to embrace conversation.

For the next two weeks, we are going to selah. What are we to do? What does this mean? It means that we are going to partner with God in embracing the interruption of the processing of life in some purposeful way. Are you ready to venture into the mysterious space of meeting with God?

Life is a journey. It requires one step at a time. It requires water breaks. It requires training. It requires us to embrace the interruptions of God.

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Selah: Day 1
Write down emotions that you know you need to process. Perhaps you have been putting them off until you “have time.” Maybe you don’t know how to process them. Maybe it’s one emotion. Maybe it’s five. Write down the emotion. Before you process the emotion(s).

Sit and selah.

Allow God to fill this unfamiliar, mysterious space. Perhaps He will have you be still. Maybe He will ask you to listen to something He wants to say to you. Perhaps today is a day for tears, laughter, or anger. Maybe today God will tell you what emotion you have been hiding from Him.

Selah with the Lord today.

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*Easton, M. G. (1893). In Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature (p. 612). Harper & Brothers.
Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Selah (Music). In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 2, p. 1923). Baker Book House.
Wilson, G. H. (2002). Psalms (Vol. 1, p. 128). Zondervan.
Craigie, P. C. (2004). Psalms 1–50 (2nd ed., Vol. 19, pp. 76–77). Nelson Reference & Electronic.

one step: 1 Thessalonians 5.4

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Leadership development today is a multi-billion dollar industry. As of 2019, leadership development was a $366 billion industry.* Of that, $166 billion is in the U.S. alone.* Our culture values leadership enough to invest a lot of money. Organizational behavior, managing change, delegating responsibilities to subordinates, and other hot topics dominate the landscape.

Some theologians believe that Paul instructs the Thessalonians in the subject of verses 12-13 because of some situations within their church involving not recognizing the leaders among them in the right way.* Said another way, they were having leadership issues. Whatever Paul’s motive for writing to the Thessalonians, we can find some very helpful leadership tips for our world today.

First, we are asked to respect our leaders.* In our culture of democracy and collective decision-making, it can be easy to forget that there is a burden to leadership that someone in our circles carries.* This burden asks much, and we should show respect.

Second, we see three characteristics of these leaders: they labor, they are over you, they admonish you.* These words describe the burden of leadership. Let’s briefly look at them in order:

1. “They labor.” The work of leader is what brings the title and not the other way around.* Meaning, those that Paul thought should be recognized as leaders were to be recognized because they were already serving in that way.* They were called to be leaders and had a spiritual gift for leadership.* What’s more, they were operating in that gift.* This verse highlights the fact that true leaders are those who work significantly hard for the benefit of the church.*

2. “They are over you.” Here, we could interpret the Greek as “leader,” but it better translates as “protect” and “care for.”* How many view leadership as protecting or caring for? Is this the subject matter of leadership conferences and books?

3. “Admonish.” Admonishment refers to correction. As a burden of leadership, this is a serious responsibility and quite difficult. The correction is intended to bring members of the Christian community back into alignment with God’s Word.* This correction is never to be motivated by judgment or vindication, but it is to be motivated by love and genuine concern for others.*

How many people sign up for leadership because they want to work really, really hard, protect and care for others, and provide loving correction even when awkward or difficult? Leadership is not an easy job, and it can be summed up by this word: service.

In the economy of Christ, the lowliest service holds the highest honor.* How much would you spend to learn to become lowly? How much would you invest to serve? Billions?

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to step into the lowly place of leadership. Perhaps today God wants you to respect your leader who isn’t perfect, but is working toward God’s picture of a good leader. Maybe today God wants you to invest in becoming a better servant.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 178–179). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (p. 218). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 247–252). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 458–461). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 99–102). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 158–162). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 381–387). Baker Academic.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2019/06/20/leadership-development-why-most-programs-dont-work/

one step: 1 Thessalonians 5.3

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

The summarizing statements in verses 9-11 of Paul’s preceding verses remind us of key crucial perspectives for walking out the Christian life.

First, God has not destined us for wrath. Said another way, God does not intend for us to receive His wrath. In the time of Paul, the existence and severity of the wrath of God was not something that the Church needed to be convinced of.* Indeed, the relief felt from these words of Paul would have propelled the hearers to gratitude.

Second, Jesus did the work. It’s important to remember that as we attempt to live a life that honors God, our salvation depends upon the work of Jesus Christ, not our own merits.* The words “for us” are significant because it tells us that the death of Christ and His resurrection were not simply cosmic displays of power and identity, nor were they merely etherial shifts in an unseen, spiritual power structure. No, the work of Jesus Christ was very personal. It was for you. It was for me. Why? Because He wants to live with us forever. The intimacy of this statement and the desire of our God to be close to us cannot be overstated. It is wildly beautiful, and it welcomes a pause to reflect.

Third, the work of Christ requires a response.* The coexistence of the terms “destined” and “obtain” speak to the beauty of the invitation of God for His people. God destines all to come to Him. He does not discriminate amongst all whom He created in His image, but He extends salvation to everyone. Obtaining that gift, however, requires a response that not all choose to make.*

Lastly, Paul reminds the church that encouragement (or building up as you would build a structure/building) does not come from the leader, but from one another. Each of us has walked away from a teaching or a sermon thinking, “wow! I feel so encouraged!” The temptation in these very beneficial moments is to begin to look to leaders as our source of encouragement.

This danger threatens to cause us to miss out on encouragement that God desires for us, but it also threatens us in another way. It threatens to disarm us of our own ability to encourage others. Thinking that encouragement comes from leaders, we may lay down our own ability to encourage, waiting for leaders to do that good work. Indeed, God is our source for all things, and He tells us through the words of Paul that He sends us encouragement through the people in the Christian community around us.* Yes, leaders are a part of the Christian community, but it is their membership in the Christian community that qualifies them to encourage, not their role as leader within that community.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to walk in gratitude for His salvific work. Perhaps today God would invite you to recalibrate yourself away from earning right-standing with Him and back to dependance upon Christ. Maybe today God wants you to share the Good News of Jesus with someone just waiting to obtain it. Perhaps today God wants you to encourage someone. Maybe today God wants you to hear someone encourage you.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 168–169). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 210–212). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 240–246). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 435–444). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 97–99). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 153–157). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 365–374). Baker Academic.

one step: 1 Thessalonians 5.2

While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:3-8

As you may well know, God was intentional with the writing of His Word. He specifically chose who would write His words and share His heart for His people and this world. He chose them based on many factors, the least of which is not their time and place in history. When God chose Paul as a contributor to His Holy Word, God knew that Paul lived under Roman Empire rule and that the church in Thessalonica would need encouragement. He also knew that the encouragement that they needed was timeless in a way that we can relate to. God also knew that some of the historical context (such as those things taken for granted as common knowledge in the Roman Empire) would be naturally lost on us. These things take digging for us to understand. Once found, however, we gain a fuller picture of God’s heart for us. Let’s do some digging:

1. When Paul references “peace and security,” he is not merely referencing a general lack of war and safety.* The Roman Empire at the time was known for providing peace and security to those regions that they overtook.* Often that “peace and security” came at a price.* Furthermore, the “peace and security” that the Roman Empire lauded served as a propaganda statement found on idolatrous shrines erected to leadership.* In fact, many in the Roman Empire viewed Julius Caesar as divine and Augustus as “the son of God.”*
   
   Get this… the Roman Empire promised peace and security through their version of the “son of God.” Imagine the difficulty for Paul and the Church in Thessalonica when they began telling the Roman world that Jesus was the Prince of Peace and the one true Son of God?!
   
   When Paul tells the Church not to fall into the ranks of those who say, “peace and security,” he isn’t inviting them to be doomsday prophets. He is instructing them to remove themselves from the popular views of the surrounding culture that lead to destruction.
   

2. The reference to labor pains is important. Notice that Paul did not say “contractions.”* In our day, contractions are an expected process of childbirth that expecting mothers are encouraged to breathe through (not an easy thing). In the time of Paul, birth pains were something quite different. Birth pains often accompanied birth, and they often ended in death.*
   The death rate in childbirth was so high that the life expectancy of women was no more than the 20s or 30s.*
   
   When a woman became pregnant in the time of the Church in Thessalonica, the reality of birth required that she celebrate the life within her while recognizing the risk of death for herself. Soberly, we realize that in the coming of the Lord, it will mean exciting life for some and grievous death for others. The deciding factor, however, is not good doctors or medicine, but in the case of the return of Christ, the determining factor is our relationship with Him.
   

3. The idea of nightly activities during the time of Paul was a little more sinister than today. Due to the metaphors and depictions of Hollywood and perhaps our own life experiences, we would acknowledge that darkness makes good coverage for ill-deeds. What we may not know, however, is that during the time of Paul, there were no street lights and no one worked overnight shifts.* The night was specifically reserved for sleep or wrong doing.* To walk the streets at night would either mean you were up to no good or that no good was about to come to you.

These facts from the historical context of the writing of Paul helps us understand the weight of what Paul is trying to communicate and thus what God wants to communicate to us today. With these new perspectives 1 Thessalonians 5:3-8 again.

We live in a world that promises all sorts of things that only God can provide. We must recognize who our true Savior is while allowing who He is to remind us of who we are in Him. We are not of this world, so we should not walk in the destructive ways of this world. There is a readiness required for the return of the Lord… and that readiness is simply to walk in His ways. What is that way? It’s a way of love, faith, and hope.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember where your peace and security comes from. Perhaps today God wants to show you more ways to live as a child of the Light. Maybe today God wants you to grow in love, faith, and hope.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 167–168). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 203–209). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 232–241). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 421–435). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 94–97). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 144–150). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 347–364). Baker Academic.