Image from richardtcook.com
I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God's amazing grace be with you! God's robust peace! Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you're in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn't just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions. and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit! - taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble. Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don't even have to say anything anymore - you're the message! People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom. (1 Thessalonians1:1-10 The Message)
One of the images suggested for this passage says, "Your Faith is Famous!" And who wouldn't be famous in faith if they lived and worked as these brothers and sisters of the Church in Thessalonica. They were known for their love and patience. (Are we?) Because their faith was solidly in Jesus Christ and they had seen and received the message of Good News not only preached, but received through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit put "steel in your convictions," and the people lived that way too. The change was evident by all who knew and worked with these people. And so, it was evident also, that God loved them very much and had His hand on them for something special.
If our faith is solidly, like steel, set in our convictions for the work of the Lord, we too, can claim the promise Paul says of the Christians in Thessalonica: God loves us very much, and has His hand on us for something special.
That something special may not seem big to you, but it could change the lives of those we touch. How many people have decided against suicide because of a kind word shared with them? How many people have decided to live more fully in the Gospel because someone took time to sit and listen and talk with them? And speaking of those who labor among us; have you shown your appreciation for your pastor(s)? The month of October has been set aside as Pastor Appreciation Month and it doesn't take much to say Thank You for Being My Pastor; a note, a card, a gift card, a small (or large) token of your appreciation goes a long way to those who labor alongside us for the sake of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Loving God, we thank you for those whom You have loved and on whom You have placed Your loving hands. Put Your hands on me and guide me to faithfulness. This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show How God is using you to do something special.
Eradio Valverde
