Scripture: 2nd Thessalonians 3:1-3
Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us so that the Lord’s message will spread quickly and be honored, just like it happened with you. Pray too that we will be rescued from inappropriate and evil people since everyone that we meet won’t respond with faith. But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and protect you from the evil one.
Thought for the Day: The work of sharing “the Lord’s message” is not as easy as it may sound. I have witnessed too many new people to the faith – people full of energy and excitement – become quickly disillusioned when they failed to translate their new-found passion to others. Here, Paul makes a request for prayer. There is a great hope for continued success in his mission to the Gentiles, but there are always the naysayers and those who will drain the faithful of any passion that might have once existed. Along with the negative energy of certain people within the church, Paul recognizes the power of evil in the form of systemic greed and violence. The church has been given a mission, and we always hope to see our faithful work make a visible difference. At the same time, the church is dealing with the cynics and defeatists within the church and the evil structures outside the church. There is a lot happening that hinders the work of Christ’s Gospel, and so we should take Paul’s advice and begin with prayer.
Prayer: We pray this day, O Lord God, for continued strength and perseverance in the work of sharing the Good News of your unceasing love and mercy. There is much that seeks to undermine and counter the work, and so when our frustration is high, let us draw upon your Spirit of power. Amen.
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