| “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.” |
| —2 Thessalonians 1:3 |
Following Jesus is a journey—a long journey. It begins the moment we recognize the gift God has given us of salvation from our sins through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross at Calvary. It continues for the rest of our lives here on earth. I also believe that our walk with Jesus will continue in eternity, as we explore the riches of God’s Kingdom and bask in the glory of His Presence.
It takes a response of faith to answer the gentle, or not so gentle, calling of the Holy Spirit, when He reveals what God has done for us. It takes a response of faith to step out onto the pathway that God opens up before us. It takes a response of faith to persevere, no matter what trials and difficulties may come into our lives. It takes a response of faith to pursue our role as ambassadors, who present God’s mercy, grace, and love to a troubled and needy world.
Thus, our entire Christian walk is fueled by faith—hopefully, an ever-growing faith. It is for this reason that the Apostle Paul celebrated what he observed in the lives of the Christians gathered in the church at Thessalonica. Notice Paul’s words, as recorded in 2 Thessalonians 1:3:
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
Here we see Paul celebrating the growing faith of those long-ago followers of Jesus. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were to receive a letter from Paul today that gave us a similar word of encouragement?
As we start another day, let’s thank God for the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives that prompts us to deepen our faith. And, let’s also seek to do those things that will cause our faith to grow: to read, study, and meditate God’s written Word, to pray, to put away besetting sins, to consciously strive to live holy lives, to faithfully gather for worship, to extend love to our brothers and sisters in Christ, to seek to share with others what God has done for us, and to show the mercy, grace, and love of God to all those who cross our path.
Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, May 15, 2017
