We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk.
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1 Thessalonians 2:1-10 (NRSV)
1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; 6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. 9 You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers.
Devotional Thought
Even today, those who proclaim the gospel with integrity are hated and often persecuted. This is a situation to be expected (Matt. 10:22). Is it difficult to speak about Jesus Christ, the Easter event, and salvation in this secular world? It is hard as much as it was in Paul’s era. What are the encouraging words in this passage, though? It is the fact that all God’s children have the ministry of reconciliation and that it is pleasing to God. Think about the word ‘reconciliation’; it implies a tone by which the listener may be drawn to a message that can literally save lives. God’s children have the duty of ambassadorship which speaks of diplomacy: truth told with empathy and care. We, as believers, do not have the mandate to save others; that is in the hands of the Holy Spirit. We have the mandate to speak with love and understanding, having good answers to sometimes difficult questions, and rely on God for the impossible through a life of prayer. Our accountability is to God and our desire is to please God. Our responsibility is to care for others on all levels of physical, mental and spiritual whatever the circumstances.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you have mandated your children to make disciples of every nations. This is a burden for which we will have to answer for. Give each one of us wisdom to proclaim the gospel like Paul did in his days and the courage to keep at it faithfully for your glory. Amen!
Andrée Pursey
Nazarene Theological College