We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. I Thess. 2:8

Is it effective, or even possible, to be fully invested in the gospel of Christ without fully investing in people? The gospel itself is built around having loving relationships. There is a difference between  living with people in our community and just living among them. The Mumford & Sons lyric says it well: ”Where you invest your love, you invest your life.”

Lord, help me to express Your love in how I invest my love and my life.

And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. I Thess. 3:12

Fickle, distracted humans only manage fleeting moments of rich, uncontained love. In these moments every face is precious, every relationship is of tremendous value, and the love of Christ is a tangible force. Falling into these moments, vulnerable and unreserved, cements families, unifies churches, makes friends of strangers and brothers of friends.

Lord, give me bold and fearless love.

Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:17-18

Through every circumstance we face, God wants to be our source for provision, comfort, healing, guidance, solutions, and inspiration. Prayer and thanksgiving are platforms for hope so that God can be all that to us. We also gain better perspective on whatever we’re facing when we acknowledge all the good things that we do have and shift our focus and concerns toward the needs of others.

Lord, thanks for the help – I can’t make it without you.

…but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. I Thessalonians 5:21

It’s okay to ask questions. It’s good for us to strip away the layers of tradition, spiritual habit, and personal preference to discover the defining truths that unite us as followers of Christ. In the marketplace of ideas the truth will stand up to scrutiny.

Lord help me to put my ideas to the test.