They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…
2 Thessalonians 1:9 NIV
Shut Out
Canadian writers have been shut out of the Griffin Poetry Prize long list for the first time. Eight of the ten poetry collections in the running for the $130,000 award were written or translated by Americans, including “Hardly Creatures” by Rob Macaisa Colgate and “End of Empire” by Marissa Davis. It’s the first time that Canadians have been left off the long list since the Griffin changed its structure in 2023 to hand out one universal award.
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The Bible is many things, and all is very honest, dealing with many topics that weigh heavily on us. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 is one of those. Paul the apostle, in speaking of the return of Jesus Christ, writes in warning of those who reject Him: “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…” This is not a verse we put on a post-it-note and stick on the fridge – but perhaps that’s exactly why we need it. We live in a world that often softens truth, sanding down the sharp edges of accountability. Yet Paul, with pastoral clarity, reminds us that eternity is real, and so are its consequences. This isn’t written to frighten us into fear, but to awaken us to what truly matters. What strikes me most is not just the idea of judgment, but the phrase “shut out from the presence of the Lord.” Those of us who love Jesus can testify that His presence is everything. To be separated from Him is the deepest loss imaginable. God’s heart has always been to draw people in, not shut them out.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley