A Letter From Paul

Have you ever felt like you’ve just plain run out of juice? The book you’ve been reading seems pointless halfway through. That new sofa or lawnmower or set of wheels was pretty exciting last month, but now you’re not sure what the big deal was. Even your relationships feel lackluster.

 

Human beings aren’t like cell phones or toy robots. We can’t rev up with a fresh set of batteries...we need other, more meaningful fuel to refill our tanks, and the energy we seek can’t be found at any store.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually.”

 

One of the shortest verses in God’s Word, the Bible, this pithy reminder was written by the Apostle Paul to believers in Thessalonica, an ancient city in what is now Northern Greece. These new converts to Christianity faced persecution, but Paul’s colleague Timothy reported that they were persevering in the face of challenges.

 

Paul’s letter, recorded as the biblical book of First Thessalonians, is written to inspire renewed energy in these early followers of Jesus. They were looked down upon, their motives and actions were questioned, they sometimes struggled with doubt about the outcome of their faith — and Paul wisely encouraged them to keep on praying, just as the Lord wants us to do today.

 

Let’s pray.

 

Heavenly Father, sometimes we feel exhausted by our struggles, and sometimes we feel alone. Remind us that the greatest power in the universe — You, our Creator God, are just a prayer away. Amen.