How is Your Faith?
With 1 Thessalonians still on my mind, I'm inspired by the fortitude of Paul in his efforts to check up on new believers. I'd gathered with a group of "Sisters Loved By God" to encourage and spur one another on. The thought hit me while we were talking. Instead of asking each other "How are you?" what if we switched to the phrase, "How is your faith?"
That's what Paul was doing. He was checking up to see how the church was growing.
A hoot of a friend, sitting on the couch next to me, answered my challenge this way…"It's full of wrinkles." She laughed and said that most people are going to think I"m saying. "How's your face?"
Seriously though. Read 1 Thessalonians 3:5-13 and imagine what it would be like to get a letter or even an email from a fellow believer like this! We need to cheer each other on to a wild and wonderful faith!
For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. But Timothy as just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. MAy the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
