I Thessalonians 3:11-13
When I came back to Christ in my early twenties (I had been away for a long time), I thought that I could jump right in and make up for my past by doing everything. I was in the choir, working with the youth group, involved in outreach, wanting to always be doing more and more. I suppose I was doing the right thing by surrounding myself with the right people. I developed a true love for the people of the church, and I slowly withdrew from my relationships outside the church.
The problem with withdrawing is that you forget how to relate. If we are not careful, our love can become inverted, and we lose our desire to share that love beyond the doors of the church. Paul's prayer was to once again return and share with the church about his ministry to the world. His prayer in this passage also points to where our love needs to be directed. In verse 12, he says that he prayed for God to increase and overflow their love for each other (as all families should pray about one another) and for everyone else.
I find being mad at someone, or wanting to really knock some one's block off, hard to do when I ask God to increase and overflow my love for them. It opens me up and forces me to deal with anger and hatred and other sins that try to tempt me. Being blameless and holy is birthed out of our desire to share God's love. By praying this way, our hearts are strengthened by God. God makes up the difference.
How do you pray for others? Do you pray for others? When is the last time you prayed for God to increase and overflow your love for an enemy? Doesn't God love them also?
No comments:
Post a Comment