Follow-up to my post on 2 Thess 3:1

I made a post last week about a devo my friend shared on 2 Thess 3:1. I asked him if I could repost the email he wrote to the people he cares for in light of 2 Thess 3:1. Here it is:

May it give you strength and courage to live out your mission today - wherever that may be.

"Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not all have faith.  But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one."  2 Thessolonians 3: 1-3

  

As I was doing my bible reading a couple days ago I read this verse and it brought you all to mind.  I've come back to it again today and just wanted to share it with you.  In these 3 short verses I find Paul resonating with our hearts.  

- Pray for us - Prayer.  I'm not very good at it, in part because I have been sucked into the culture of sentiment instead of spiritual reality.  How often we ask for prayer and offer prayer trivially.   But Paul is not trivial in this.  It is his life line.  He needs the prayers of others.  He knows others need his prayers.  May my prayers increase for you.  May our prayers increase for one another.

-  so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere - Prayer with an ultimate purpose.  Again, so often my prayers are trivial in comparison.  So much of the prayer I have been asking for these days have been for health, especially for my wife and newborn baby.  There is nothing wrong with this and He loves to answer these prayers.  He loves His children.  But this verse reminds me that He loves His name even more.... and so should I.    We are engaged in the task He has called us too for one simple reason - that His word would be spread in places where it has never been and that He would be glorified.  Let us pray and work toward this end.

- that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people - Not a very politically correct statement is it?  We are surrounded by lost people and we are to have compassion on them.  But Paul doesn't underestimate the power of sin and evil in the world and people around him.  Rescuing is a dangerous endeavor.  It leads us into danger.  Often rescuers need to be rescued as well.  How many firefighters, coast guard, and others have needed rescuing as they engaged in saving others?  Your mission is noble and honorable.  But we are not ignorant that there are many around you who may mean you harm.  May the Lord protect you.  He is a mighty warrior.  

-  But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you - This is the good news.  It isn't about us.  It is about Him.  He is all powerful.  He alone is completely faithful.  He is faithful to His mission.  He is faithful to His name.  He is faithful to His children.  He is faithful to you and me.  There are days I am certain, when you feel weak... when you wonder if you can make it... when you wonder if all this is worth it.  He is faithful.  He will strengthen you.

I love you.  When I think of you my heart is warmed.  May you be blessed and know His presence.