LOVE PRAYS

Love prays. If you are a person of prayer or if you generally aren't, if you pray, you will tend to pray for those close to you. Paul mentions his prayer for the Thessalonian church in 1 Thess. 1:2-3.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy apparently had good memories of the church in Thessalonica. So not only did Paul pray for the believers there, but they all prayed. "We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers."

One thing for us to do for people we are thankful for is to "thank God for them." Thank God for putting them in your life. Do you do that? Did you create all the relationships you have--family members, friends, colleagues--especially those you have lots in common with? Not really. The one who brings us together and the one who binds us together is God. He provides those whom we love. Therefore we should give God thanks for those people we love.

Paul apparently felt this love for the Thessalonian church as he did for the Philippian church. Those were two churches that especially blessed him and gave him joy (a theme of Philippians). So he gives thanks to God when he prays.

What is Paul reminded of when he thinks of the Thessalonian believers? (v. 3) There are three Christian graces mentioned here that we find in other New Testament letters as well--"faith, love and hope." (See 1 Corinthians 13, for example)

But not only are the graces--things given by God--things not deserved or earned--mentioned. But how they were lived out in the believers.

Notice "work, labor, endurance" (patience or perseverance).

The three graces--things given the believer by God--will produce something. They will not just be something hoarded and kept, but will lead to action.

"Work produced by faith"--Genuine faith will lead to work, service, acts coming forth from that faith. James said that "faith without works is dead." If one has faith, there will be some actions that will occur as a result of that faith. Faith is proven out by work (service) that is done from that. (See James again)

"Labor prompted by love"--Labor is not the same as "work" mentioned before. This word refers to toil, hard work, something that may take long hours and arduous service. The word, "love," is agape, God's kind of love that is self-sacrificing, caring for others with no thought of return, a giving love. It is produced by the Holy Spirit of God living within and producing His love in the believer, the disciple, the follower of Jesus. It is beyond a human kind of love.

Think of a mother "laboring" when she has her child. Going through labor is not a fun thing, it seems, but it is done to produce fruit of the husband and wife's love, and done to introduce this new life--this new love into the world. But think also of a man or woman, working hard to provide for their family. They may work very hard, even at tasks they do not like, but they do so to provide, out of their love for their family. This is what Paul saw in the church members in Thessalonica. They "labored out of love" and did it all for the good of others and the God they loved as well.

"Endurance inspired by hope"--Endurance, patience, perseverance, continuing on despite hardship and discouragement and trials. How does the believer do this when they get discouraged and down, like every one else at times? Out of the hope that we believe in. Paul saw this in the Thessalonians. Hope is not just an "wish--I wish it will happen, but am not sure it will." It is instead dependent on faith and trust in God. God will bring about what He said He would. It WILL occur. Therefore, this hope is based in God and His trustworthiness--His ability to produce and His willingness to do so--and His always following through on His promises.

So they could endure hardship (2 Timothy says, "as a good soldier of Jesus Christ). Because they knew, in time, the promise would be fulfilled. The savings bond would be good for the face value, not because of government backing, but because of God behind it all.

And the hope is in One worthy of hope--the Lord Jesus Christ--the Master, Jesus the Messiah. That leads to a belief, a trust, a hope that one day that same Lord Jesus Messiah will return for those who persevere in faith, love, hope in Him.

Circumstances change. People change. God and His Son, Jesus Christ, do not change, and are therefore worthy objects of our faith, love, and hope.

So one can work in faith, labor from our sacrificial love (produced by God in us), and endure in hope that God will follow through on His promises. And all of that is based on the rock-solid Lord, Jesus Messiah.

Who do you give thanks for when you pray? Do you especially pray for those who "work from faith, labor out of love, and persevere in hope"? Who could you give thanks for and pray for today? Would you pray these Christian graces and these actions for me today? (Thanks.)

Would Paul pray for you because of these characteristics? Would other believers see these things in your life and give thanks for you because they see the nature of God and the character of God being produced in your life?

Let work be produced from your faith in Jesus. Show labor prompted by your love of Jesus and those He loves. And continue in endurance with assured hope in Jesus that He will follow through on His promises in time. He is something you can "bank" on. Will you?