Dig Deeper
I’m doing a tour through the letters of Paul and the other morning I was reading 1 Thessalonians. Paul begins this letter with telling the church how thankful he is for them. In verse 3 he says:
“We continually remember before our God and Father
your work produced by faith,
your labor prompted in love,
and your endurance inspired by hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (italics mine)
At first glance those words resonated with me. We all want our lives to embody love, faith, and hope and have them being the force behind all we do.
But when we sit with it for a minute and focus on the work, labor and endurance part, well, that has a different feel to it. I mean, does work, labor and endurance sound like a fun day in the park to you? Not me either, but it feels like life right now, so let’s take a second look.
Here’s a little context for you: the Thessalonica church had converts from paganism so they were learning how to let go of their old way of living and embrace being a Jesus-Follower. They also faced a lot of opposition and persecution from the Jews. Paul was only able to be there with them for three weeks to teach and pour into them before he was forced to leave because of the same opposition. Paul wrote this letter as a way to encourage and strengthen them.
I think the church there was able to receive the Word of God Paul shared because their hearts were good soil!!!
“Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop -
a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Matthew 13:8
Here was a group of believers who heard the Word of God, received the Word of God and applied it to their lives with little to no external support.
“And we thank God continually because, when you received the Word of God,
which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men,
but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13
I think faith, love, and hope is what made it possible for the church to stand and persevere through what they faced as believers.
Let’s, just for a moment, take a look at the words from 1 Thessalonians.
WORK is what you would think of in employment but also deed and action. Deed refers to carrying out an inner desire, intention or purpose to completion. Which was produced by FAITH, which is trusting and having confidence in God. It is also a gift from God, we cannot produce faith on our own.
LABOR is a hard blow, it weakens and debilitates, a deep fatigue, a beating. It voluntarily assumes and endures trouble and pain for Salvation of others. Which is prompted by LOVE. Here it is Agape love which allows them to love each other beyond what might be capable on our own.
ENDURANCE a steadfastness, being patient. God enables the believer to remain under the challenges of life. They are able to endure because of the HOPE, the expectation, trust and confidence they have in Jesus.
How did they do that? How were they able to change their behaviors and walk in love, faith, and endurance while facing such difficult times? Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 1:9&10:
“…They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
and to wait for his son from heaven, who he raised from the dead
- Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
They were able to: Because they:
1 Thessalonians 1:3 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
Work by faith Turned to God from idols
Labor in love Served a living and true God
Endure in hope Waited for His Son from Heaven
Let’s take a page from their playbook when we face debilitating weakness or fatigue or when the waiting is getting too lllooonnnnggggg or are facing uncertainty or are overwhelmed.
They did not accomplish those things because they were good people or had a mantra of affirmations they said to themselves every day before they walked out the door. They were fully submitted to living and responding to what Paul instructed. A Jesus way. They walked in the power they had in the Holy Spirit and didn’t try to do it on their own.
Are our hearts good soil?
Are we reading God’s Word and allowing it to be rooted in our lives and produce the fruit of God?
Can the people around us say what Paul said when he thought of the believers in Thessalonica?
I’m going to leave you with this final thought from Paul in verses 4-6:
“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,
because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but
also with the power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction…
You became imitators of us and the Lord; in spite of severe suffering,
you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” (italics mine)
So, loved and chosen by God, let’s allow the power and joy we have in and through the Holy Spirit to walk in faith, love and hope as we work, labor and endure. Let’s live and love like Jesus. Let the Word of God find good soil to grow and transform our lives.
God sees you and what you are going through and facing in your life. AND He is always there!
Have the most amazing day!
All My Love ~
Jodi xo
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