Reading for Wednesday, Dec 12: 1 Thess. 1

Paul writes to the Thessalonians words of encouragement and praise: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ,” (v3).

I’m struck by the intrinsic link Paul seems to make between faith, hope, and love. As Paul alludes to in 1 Cor. 13, these are the essence of life for us. He sees these qualities at work in these Thessalonian believers and I think they serve as great spiritual-inventory reflections for us as well.

How can I strive to be more faithful?
In what ways am I living out a message of hope today?
How can I be more loving in my relationships with others? Or in my relationship with God?

These kinds of questions create fertile ground in our hearts, opening us up to what God is attempting to do in our lives.