1 Thessalonians 3:12

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

When you read through the letters in the New Testament the Apostle Paul wrote, one thing comes out over and and over again: this guy loved the people he served. He loved teaching them and doing ministry with them. He thought about them and prayed for them. The people he served were on his heart and mind constantly, especially when he wasn’t around them.

Paul had those affections for the Thessalonian Christians. He only had three weeks with them before he was forced to flee Thessalonica. The church was planted in the midst of persecution. They had a lot of enemies because of Paul’s work of preaching the gospel. When he found out not only was the church doing well, they thought fondly of Paul and wanted to see him, he was overjoyed and sent back a letter about his desire to visit them and teach them more about the Christian faith.

One of the prayers Paul had for the Thessalonians is in chapter 3, verse 12. Paul prayed that as God worked in their hearts even more than he already had, they would overflow with love for fellow church members and everyone else. That included the people who drove Paul away and the people who hated their church. That included the church member who was hard to get along with or the coworker that made life hard. That included the ex-spouse and yes, everyone else.

I hope you’ll join me in praying along with Paul for the same thing. Pray God works in your heart to love those close to you and those far away. Pray God works such love in your heart for others it overflows into your life and people see it. I hope you’ll pray that along with me, because I know I need God to do that for me.

My love for others needs to grow. It just stinks sometimes. Instead of being an overflowing river giving life to others, it can look like a dried up creek bed. But you know what, God can change all that.

God loves to and will answer those prayers to grow us spiritually. He changes us through the power of his Word and the sacrificial love of his Son. God wants you to love others more, just as he has, does, and continues to love you. Look at what he did to save you. His work with you isn’t finished. He’s going to grow you so your love overflows to others more and more.