Faith and Love: Let God Handle the Rest

Do you ever read a portion of scripture and just fall in love with it, because it speaks to your heart and situation so much.  I love when God speaks to me in that way.  A week or so ago, I was directed to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 during a devotional and because I like to get the context of what is being said I read all of chapter 5 and because I was so touched and encouraged I went through my day chanting, "I am putting on the breastplate of faith and love" (1 Thes. 5:8) and I read it again the next day and I cling to being obedient to faith and love.

Faith that God would use how I love others to do His work and the product was rejoicing (1 Thes. 5:16), prayerful meditation (1 Thes. 5:17), thankfulness (1 Thes 5:18).  Then I branched out and read the whole book several times.  I listened to it as I drifted off to sleep.  I refreshed it in my mind in the morning, the beautiful book of faith and love.  The simple truth of faith and love.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 says:

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God our Father.

This is the whole theme of the book.  That we labor in love throughout our day, towards our spouses, children, friends, and neighbors, that we have faith God is using this labor of love in our lives and in theirs, that we do this because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ and the salvation he brings.  (1 Thes 1:3 and 5:8)

In the middle chapter Paul demonstrates the walk of faith and love and hope.  In the final chapter he encourages us again in this principal.

But let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for and helmet, the hope of salvation.  (1 Thes 5:8)

Read and be encouraged for "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."  (1 Thes 5:24)

Love people, Have faith, Praise God for your hope!