The Message

DEVOTION
2 THESSALONIANS
THE MESSAGE
2 Thess 3:1
3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.
NIV
It does seem strange that I talk about a relationship with God in such a personal way. It seems that everything is always about my relationship with the Lord. It is about God and how he deals with my life and what he has done for me, in me and through me. Well now that through me is really not about me actually is it? I suppose in a sense I am in the process of spreading the message of the Lord as well. However looking at it from the other prospective I am not sure I spend much time praying that the message is spread rapidly through the efforts of other people. In Fact I do not recall much ever being preached by pastors I have listened to regarding praying for others efforts in spreading the Gospel. True we support missionaries who may very well be spreading the Gospel. But we don’t spend much time talking or praying about them. Well, at least I don’t. Maybe I should be, at least according to the admonishment of this verse. Maybe it is more than missionaries. Maybe it is also about other people like me who preach in local settings around this country. People who serve in spreading the Gospel right here in retirement communities, food pantries, outreach centers, or those bringing food and clothes to the homeless. There are so many people serving others in ways which are spreading the good news about Jesus who need to have people like me praying for them and their message, that it will spread rapidly and be honored. I don’t think this is so much about the praying for those people themselves, but praying about their message. Sure they need prayers, but it is about the message. I need to be praying about the message. Not just spreading myself, but also praying about it being spread rapidly wherever it is being spread and that it will be honored, or considered worthy, received, taken to heart and accepted as something of value and great importance. Just as I did, believing the message, the good news about Jesus Christ saving me from death, from perishing into nothingness and bringing me eternal life everlasting in the presence of my Lord. This is what I should be praying about, the message.