God Speaks
Finally, when I could stand it no longer, I decided to stay alone in Athens 2-3 and send Timothy, our brother and fellow worker, God’s minister, to visit you to strengthen your faith and encourage you and to keep you from becoming fainthearted in all the troubles you were going through. (But of course you know that such troubles are a part of God’s plan for us Christians. 4 Even while we were still with you we warned you ahead of time that suffering would soon come—and it did.)
5 As I was saying, when I could bear the suspense no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that perhaps Satan had gotten the best of you and that all our work had been useless. 6 And now Timothy has just returned and brings the welcome news that your faith and love are as strong as ever and that you remember our visit with joy and want to see us just as much as we want to see you. 7 So we are greatly comforted, dear brothers, in all of our own crushing troubles and suffering here, now that we know you are standing true to the Lord. 8 We can bear anything as long as we know that you remain strong in him.
9 How can we thank God enough for you and for the joy and delight you have given us in our praying for you? 10 For night and day we pray on and on for you, asking God to let us see you again, to fill up any little cracks there may yet be in your faith.
11 May God our Father himself and our Lord Jesus send us back to you again. 12 And may the Lord make your love to grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just as our love does toward you. 13 This will result in your hearts being made strong, sinless, and holy by God our Father so that you may stand before him guiltless on that day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns with all those who belong to him.
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Paul was very concerned about the condition of the Thessalonian believers’ faith, so much so that in these 13 verses, twice (verse 1 and 5) he wrote, “when (we or I) could bear it no longer.” Paul sent Timothy to them to strengthen their faith and encourage the Thessalonians. He did not want them to become so disheartened by their trials that they would give up and make all Paul’s work among them useless; however, Timothy brought back a good report that their faith was strong, and they remembered Paul’s visit with joy. This cheered Paul up amid his own crushing troubles and struggles. In thankfulness and joy, Paul prayed for the opportunity to visit them, but in the meantime that the Lord would cause their love for God and for each other to grow and overflow to those around them. He also prayed that God would make their hearts strong, sinless, and holy. Then they would be able to stand before God the Father guiltless on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns with all those who belong to Him.
Prayer: Dear loving Father God, thank You for being so concerned for us, Your human creations, that You send Your Son to die in our place so that we could live free now and spend eternity with You. Lord, I am concerned about ________ regarding the status of their faith in Christ especially in light of the struggles they are facing right now. Please use me or another believer to strengthen their faith and encourage them. I so long to visit them, but since I can’t right now, please help me to contact them by phone, text, email, or letter. I need to know that they are standing true to You, Lord, amid their troubles. It will be my joy to continue to pray for them. Whenever You do give me a chance to visit them, I want to rejoice to see how their love is overflowing for You and for each other. Father God, make their hearts strong, sinless, and holy. Then they will be able to stand before You on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns with all those who belong to Him. For the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will contact _______ (someone specific), whom I am concerned about regarding the status of their faith in Christ.
- I will pray day and night for the salvation and spiritual growth of all those for whom God holds me responsible.
- I will pray for the salvation, spiritual growth, and protection of people in my nation, especially for those in positions of authority.
- I will act on the opportunities God gives me to speak with people about their faith in Christ.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.