1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Paul opens up this letter right away mentioning that he prays unceasingly for the Thessalonians and specifically for the characteristics that have made them impactful examples to the wider church (1 Thessalonians 1:7).  The first thing that we can learn from Paul’s prayer is to pray for the attributes in our fellow believers that make them impactful for the kingdom of God.  Secondly, we can learn the kinds of characteristics we can cultivate in our own lives in order to be used by the Lord.

The impact of their faith was extraordinary: They had turned from serving idols to serving the living God. The way they were now living their lives with faith toward God could not go unnoticed (1 Thessalonians 1:8). True faith produces works, and it produced a wearisome labor in the Thessalonian church, but it was borne out of love, for they loved Christ because He first loved them (1 John 4:19).  Finally, they patiently kept their eyes on Jesus with an air of expectation for His return (1 Thessalonians 1:10).  Living with this perspective prioritized their activities such that they favored the eternal rather than the temporal.  Lord, may we live lives of faith, love, and hope, having an ever increasing impact for your kingdom.

Pastor Jeff Mericle