Letters to the Thessalonians
This devotional is written by Rebekah Holden.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
Request for Prayer
3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Reflection
Chapter 3 starts with a prayer request for Paul’s mission.
3:1 ‘Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you’
Paul is emphasising the continuing urgent need for the gospel to spread quickly. I think that it’s interesting that Paul specifically says, ‘just as it was with you’. To me he is encouraging the church to pray for others to receive the same things that they received; for Paul’s mission to be as successful with others as it was with them.
Once we’ve heard about what Jesus has done for us, it shouldn’t stop with us. We only had our lives transformed because people like Paul spread the gospel and this continued for generations to come.
Like the church in Thessalonica, we should be passionately praying for other people to have their lives transformed like ours were.
However, Paul also ends with his own prayer for the church ‘May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance’.
As excited as we might be, if we are not rooted in God’s love and have the perseverance that comes from journeying with Christ, then we are going to burn out quickly and struggle when we are faced with opposition.
REFLECT
If it the news was urgent then, some centuries ago, then it’s perhaps even more urgent now as we are closer to the day that Christ’s return.
Ask God to highlight areas and/or groups of people where his message needs to be spread.
PRAY
Take time to pray for each one that came to mind,
If you’re feeling a bit battered then take time to pray Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians over yourself- for your heart to be directed in to God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
3:1 ‘Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you’
Paul is emphasising the continuing urgent need for the gospel to spread quickly. I think that it’s interesting that Paul specifically says, ‘just as it was with you’. To me he is encouraging the church to pray for others to receive the same things that they received; for Paul’s mission to be as successful with others as it was with them.
Once we’ve heard about what Jesus has done for us, it shouldn’t stop with us. We only had our lives transformed because people like Paul spread the gospel and this continued for generations to come.
Like the church in Thessalonica, we should be passionately praying for other people to have their lives transformed like ours were.
However, Paul also ends with his own prayer for the church ‘May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance’.
As excited as we might be, if we are not rooted in God’s love and have the perseverance that comes from journeying with Christ, then we are going to burn out quickly and struggle when we are faced with opposition.
REFLECT
If it the news was urgent then, some centuries ago, then it’s perhaps even more urgent now as we are closer to the day that Christ’s return.
Ask God to highlight areas and/or groups of people where his message needs to be spread.
PRAY
Take time to pray for each one that came to mind,
If you’re feeling a bit battered then take time to pray Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians over yourself- for your heart to be directed in to God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
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