Read with Me
1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 (HCSB)
But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy!
Listen with Me
Here you can see the shepherd’s heart that beat at the very core of Paul. Paul had to literally sneak out of Thessalonica under cover of darkness when the Jewish leaders caused a riot out of jealousy of his success. They had raided a house where Paul was reported to be staying, but Paul wasn’t there. They then dragged the homeowner, Jason, to the city officials, accusing him of harboring dangerous men, resulting in Jason having to pay a fine before he could return to his violated home (Acts 17:5-10).
It’s no wonder that Paul describes his departure as having been “forced to leave” the brothers. And it is no wonder that he wanted to go back as soon as possible to check on them, to make sure that this first upswelling of persecution hadn’t thrown them off the right path. But he was continually hounded in all the places he fled to, being driven further and further south, all the way to Athens and Corinth, where he was at the time that he wrote this letter (Acts 18:5).
Paul’s language that describes his relationship with the Thessalonian Christians may seem a bit “over the top” to some. But whether he was in a city for a short time or a long time, he poured himself wholly into those who turned to faith in Jesus. This developed a powerful bond between them and built a powerful love for all those new brothers and sisters in Christ in his heart.
Paul also realized that his whole purpose in life, as it had been since his Damascus Road experience, was to find people who didn’t know Jesus, whether Jew or Gentile, and hold before them an open door into the kingdom, urging them to go in. And, for all who accepted his invitation, to help them to grow into full-fledged disciples. This is what he had done in Thessalonica, and the Thessalonian believers were the fruit of his labors, the validation of his calling, and the and talents that he would lay at the Master’s feet when He returned and demanded an accounting (Matthew 25:14-30).
Pray with Me
Father, even though most of us have not received the calling of apostle, Paul still helps us to see our mission very clearly. Even if we never take the gospel far from where we live and work as he did, we still carry that good news in our hearts and have been charged with spreading it wherever we live and work, continually bringing in a harvest of new souls, then helping those new believers to grow into Christlike disciples. There is no other work for our lives that is more important than this, or that will have a more far-reaching or long-lasting effect. Lord, help me to keep my focus on what you have called me to do each day with the same complete commitment that Paul demonstrated every moment. Amen.