Praying With Paul Exemplo

A Passion for People

Email, social media, and smart phones have dramatically changed how people communicate with one another. Many of us process hundreds of emails each week. Technology allows us to connect with others around the world with remarkable speed and efficiency. But one negative side effect of our digital revolution is that many of us are far less intentional and thoughtful about what we write than previous generations. Every so often, write a personal, hand-written letter to a family member, friend, pastor, or missionary. Include a word of gratitude or affirmation, verses of Scripture, or a short prayer or blessing. Life is busy and filled with various concerns and anxieties, and so such thoughtful, timely letters offer needed encouragement, renewed perspective, and hope. As Proverbs 15:23 says, “A word in season, how good it is!” 

Paul’s passion for people fuels his petitionary prayers. In 1 Thessalonians Paul tells believers that he constantly prays for them and longs to see them again because of his profound love for them and concern for their spiritual well being. Here is a Christian so committed to the well-being of other Christians, especially new Christians, that he is simply burning up inside to be with them, to help them, to nurture them, to feed them, to stabilize them, to establish an adequate foundation for them. Small wonder, then, that he devotes himself to praying for them when he finds he cannot visit them personally. This is typical of Paul. He never descends to the level of the mere professional. Paul is a passionate man, deeply enmeshed in the lives of real people. 

Paul intensely prays night and day “that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith” (v. 10). He desires to be with the Thessalonian believers for their good. Paul isn’t after their accolades or appreciation but their advancement in the Christian life. He yearns to serve, not to be made much of. He longs to be reunited with these believers, from whom he was “torn away” (1 Thess. 2:17), so that he can finish the ministry begun among them. Paul has the heart of a true pastor. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to encourage these Christians to continue to live lives pleasing to God in view of the hope that they have in Christ’s return (see 4:1,18). But he knew that they needed personal instruction and hands-on discipleship, and he earnestly desired to be with them to serve in this way.

Paul was not content to sit at a distance and prays for a group of people out of obligation. He expresses love for the people of Thessalonica because he genuinely wants the gospel to affect their lives. We should have a similar attitude to those Christ has placed around us.