Staying Connected

1 Thessalonians 3:5-9

 ⁵ For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

In reading this verses or even beginning chapter 3:1, it is rather easy to get a mental image of Paul. Imagine him pacing back in forth or maybe on his knees as he thought about his beloved Thessalonian brothers and sisters. I wonder. Did they pop in his brain randomly as he went through his daily routine?  Or was it like this gnawing sense of concern?  I bet he talked about them, prayed for them, fought  against being anxious about them (because the dude wrote Philippians 4:6).

Being the daydreamer I am, I picture him sitting pensively.  How are they handling any affliction or temptation?  How is their faith and love?  How is… uhhh, nevermind.  Finally, Paul could bear it no longer.   “Timothy!”  Paul would call out, “Can you just quickly check on them for me?” “Sure thing,” Timothy would reply, “I’ll head over there now and get back to you in (insert the amount of time for Timothy to travel, visit, and return to Paul here).”

So Paul waited for Timothy to return with a report.  Fortunately, as we move through the chapter we read this:

But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— ⁷ for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. ⁹ For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,

Paul was comforted by Timothy’s report of the Thessalonians. He rejoiced with thanksgiving and probably sighed a big breath of relief.  The Thessalonians’ faith was thriving.

I deeply admire how the very believers Paul mentored and departed from, never departed from his heart.

I reflect on my own life and confess that I do not do this.  Paul continued to love those he no longer saw every day.  I forget to reach out to my sister in another country, another city, old friends, current friends, man… the list could go on for pages.    I confess I pour in too little so don’t have much to pour out.

How about you?  Brothers and sisters, I pray that your hearts love greater than mine has.

We always want to be like Christ, but today and always, I also want to be like Paul.  I want to move beyond my house,  beyond my immediate surroundings, and reach out to those in far off places.  Perhaps my “Thessalonians” are physically or spiritually far away, but with my handy dandy smartphone, I don’t need to send out a Timothy to get a report.  I can find out by tonight.

Pray

Church, pray right now, confess right now, shake of the anxiety, listen to His voice for the names, and rejoice right now.  For our God is faithful and HE trusts us with the Gospel.  Cast your anxiety onto Jesus and just do it! =)

- Grace Bermundo