Celebrate God’s Work!

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10    
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— 7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.   9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? 

Good mews of fellow believers is always cause for celebration!  Timothy spent time with the church at Thessaloniki and found faith and love active there, a blessing for Paul to hear.  The labor should bear good and lasting fruit as it was here, and the desire to be reunited was mutual.  This is what ministry and fellowship should look like when wed together.  Therefore, Paul and company rejoiced even more in their sufferings for the gospel’s sake as they heard of God’s work in the church there.  We can also rejoice when we see God work in others, not just in our own church.  Paul summed it up by exclaiming how it was to live knowing their firm standing in Christ.  The joy and thanksgiving overflowed in prayer to God after praying night and day for so long that these things would happen and continue.  They also prayed to come in person again to share the joy in sweet fellowship.  This is pastoral gospel concern with love in action.