Turning and waiting

For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. – 1 Thessalonians 1.9-10

Salvation is explained here as Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers about how God had used them to turn from their idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for Him.

The Thessalonians would have been the kind of society where false gods dominated the religious scene. Homes had god shelves and family gods and all kinds of gods for all kinds of situations. Today we turn from different gods of materialism and popularity and selfishness and such. Salvation means we turn from them and we turn to serve the living and true God.

And then we are called to ‘wait for His Son.’

This waiting is nothing like just sitting in an airport placidly watching the flight schedules. This waiting is an eager anticipation at what God is going to do. It is a waiting that is not idle, but at work. While we are waiting we are to be loving and serving and going and helping and sharing because we don’t know how much time we have. We wait with eager anticipation because we know He is coming.

Believers have repented from our old priorities. Now we are waiting to see Him again. Let us work while we have the chance.