Is Prayer the Spiritual Equivalent of Healthy Eating?
Prayer is a challenging subject for most people. As I approached this topic, I realized prayer is like eating healthy. 1) We know it is beneficial for us. 2) We want to do it, and 3) many people struggle to pray consistently.
Similar to the challenges we face in maintaining a healthy Diet, we often find ourselves unsure what to pray for or how to pray. In Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, he doesn't just provide us with words to repeat but a model for prayer. This model is centered around thanksgiving and intercession for others, giving our prayers a clear direction and purpose.
D.A Carson talks about the importance of praying for others based on Paul's letter in Thessalonians 3,
Praying for others is of monumental importance. It's not just a means of finding strength for ourselves or a way to relieve our own burdens. We have the opportunity to approach God with thanksgiving and intercession for others. In short, our prayers should be shaped by our deep desire to seek what is best for the people of God.
Paul's prayer suggests four ways we will examine in this blog.
Paul Prays with thanksgiving (3:9)
“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”
Two Things Thanksgiving Does:
It reminds us…
1) When things are going well, it is because of God's grace and goodness, not US!
10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Deu. 6:10-13
18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. Deu. 8:18
6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Deu. 9:6
2) When things are not going well, it gives us hope to remember that the God who has been faithful in the past will be steadfast in the future.
“I entrust my spirit into your hands; you, Lord, God of faithfulness— you have saved me.” Paslm 31:5
I didn't keep your righteousness only to myself. I declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I didn't hide your loyal love and trustworthiness from the great assembly. Ps. 40:10
Paul Prayed for Four things for the Thessalonians:
He prayed for spiritual Growth. (v.10) 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
He encouraged them. (V. 9) 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
He insisted that God is the one to be thanked. (V. 9) 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
He reminded them to remain humble. (V. 12-13) 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Paul encourages and affirms them in a way that doesn't feed into their pride and sense that we did this. We should do the same for those around us in and outside the family of God.
Paul prays that they might have their love increase(v.12)
May the Lord increase your love and overflow for each other and everyone else, just as ours does for you.
Paul makes an interesting request. “May the Lord make your love increase.”
What was Paul's goal for asking this: so “he strengthen your hearts.”
How is this goal accomplished? (V. 12) 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
Our capacity to love increases for Christians by showing love for others inside and outside the church. Love is not just some mushy emotion; it is grounded in our service and showing love to others. Paul points out that if you want your love to increase, that happens as you serve other people in love. Serving others is problematic because it is, too, so contrary to our sinful way of thinking. The sinner in us says about serving others, “I need to get my act together before I can deal with the needs of others.” Or “I need to take care of my own needs before I can deal with the needs of others.” Now, for some people who are dealing with some severe emotional Trauma in life, that may be true. But for most of us, one of the best ways to gain insights into our lives is to serve others. There is a lot of truth in the parable about a man who complained about not having shoes until he met a man with no feet. Serving others helps us put our problems into perspective.
Paul prays for them in light of the future. (V. 13)
13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
The future impacts the presence!
Originally Published on https://www.becomingbridgebuilders.org/blog
