A love Letter

 

I was reading the first three chapters of 1 Thessalonians today. I know this is stating the obivious, but I love how it reads just like a LETTER. Ok, I do know it IS a letter. But, in all reality some of the others just don’t feel as much like letters. It is so casual and matter of fact. 

I don’t write letters very often, so what I am saying next pertains to me as well as a majority of you. I miss receiving and sending letters. I did send a letter this morning. It was a simple thank you. But, it really seems strange to write it. 

Yes, we have emails, we have texts, posts on any number of social media outlets, but there is really nothing that replaces the well thought out intimate hand written letter. You can feel Paul’s love for his people and it is just words from a letter. 

“Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. You yourselves are our witnesses — and so is God — that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Paul is reminiscing of his time with these brothers and sisters. He beautifully recounts their time together and then he gets to the point:

“Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us,  you didn’t think our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God — which of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

I never stop thanking God for the Good News I have received from those who are faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Things have not always been easy, but I would not be where I am today without the beautiful love of Jesus that was shared with me as a 12 year old boy, and the countless hours people poured into me for the next 52 years. 

God is writing a love letter about you and to you, just like the letter from Paul to the church at Thessaloniki. He wants nothing more than you persevere the suffering, the doubts, the trials, the storms, and any number of life traumas you will face. He wants us to battle injustice, put all our energy into making sure at least one more gets to hear his message of salvation. We serve only God and not people. Some will doubt and not understand our motives, our celebration, for his glory, honor, and praise. But, God will be there to encourage us and care for us just like Paul did with his church. Do you have people in your life that will do the same thing for you?