2 Thessalonians 3:4-5

2 Thessalonians 3:4-5

And we have confidence in the Lord upon you all because that which we command you all do and you all will do.  And the Lord may direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient endurance of Christ.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

When Paul thinks about the Thessalonians, he thinks in terms of confidence.  The interesting point is from where the confidence comes.  Paul’s confidence in the Thessalonians is in the midst of their obedience.  Paul is confident in them because their live lives out their faith.  When we are faithful, we breed confidence in the people around us.

Have you ever felt more confident in the people around you because they are faithful?  Why do we feel more confident when they are living faithful lives?

Second Thought:

As we conclude this section, we get an opportunity to hear the direction where Paul hopes that the Thessalonians will grow.  The first direction for which Paul hopes is that the Thessalonians will grow is towards the love of God.  Not surprisingly, I find this to be incredibly harmonious with the rest of the Bible.  In the 10 Commandments we are told that we are to have no other gods.  In the New Testament Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God.  Therefore, it is not surprising that Paul desires the Thessalonians to grow in their love of God first.

Do you grow in the love of God?  In what perspective might this desire of Paul’s make sense?  From what perspective might this desire of Paul’s seem unusual?

Third Thought:

The other direction that Paul desires the Thessalonians to grow is in respect to their patient endurance. This might seem like a bit of a unique saying, especially since I’ve just linked this passage with Jesus’ dissertation upon the commandments.  However, it isn’t that strange.  Jesus tells us that the second greatest commandment is to love one another.  But let’s face reality.  In order to love one another, we need to spend time around one another.  In order to spend time around one another we will absolutely need patience to endure with one another.  In this way, Paul’s words are very much in line with what Jesus tells us elsewhere in the New Testament.

Do you think you have a great amount of patient endurance?  How do you gain the ability to endure the world around you patiently?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-8