2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 (NRSV)
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Chapter 1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Verse 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 3We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. Verse 4Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.
Verse 11To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, Verse 12so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Devotion
Prayer is an example of how we are related to God. There is no closeness to God without prayer. We cannot be in harmony with His will without prayer. Prayer is a vital instrument in our relationship with God and our neighbors. This dynamic holds us even in hard times and allows us to remain firm in the faith.
Prayer is joint participation in the life and witness of others. So prayer must be continuous, as must be our gratitude, and our prayer-support to others. For example, in some churches there is a program called "Adopt a Missionary." These congregations commit themselves to support and pray for missionaries. Over time, however, we realize that they are just doing the first of these. For our missionaries to make Christ known in the mission field, they need our prayers of intercession as much as we need others to intercede for us.
Prayer
Dear Father Almighty, I cannot live away from you. I want to be faithful in my commitment to pray for others, understanding that a prayer of intercession is one of the most important things you taught us to do. In Christ Jesus, Amen.