Good news of love (1 Thessalonians 3:6)

Good news of love

"But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you" (1 Thessalonians 3:6).

          Apostle Paul constantly thanked God because the Thessalonian church saints received the word of God, which Paul preached, not as man's words but what it really was, the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13). He also constantly thanked God because the word of God was working in them who believed (v. 13). In the midst of giving thanks to God constantly Paul has serious concern. And that serious concern was that when the Thessalonian church saints were suffering they might be tempted by the tempter and his and his co-workers’ labor would be in vain (3:5). So since Paul could endure it no longer (vv. 1, 5), he sent Timothy to them. And Timothy returned to Paul with good news about their faith and love (v. 6). Here, we can think of two things regarding the good news of faith and love which Paul heard. The two are "good news of faith" and "good news of love".

          The good news of the faith that Paul heard was that the Thessalonian church saints were standing firm in the Lord in the midst of suffering (v. 8). Also he heard that they were living a life that pleased God (4:1). How did they live the life that pleased God? They did so by living their holy life with was the will of God (v. 3). Paul, who heard this good news of their faith, not only was comforted (3:7) but also rejoiced with all the joy (v. 9). So Paul wanted to thank God in return and confessed that ‘Now I really live’ (vv. 8, 9). And when he heard this good news, Paul wanted to see them more so night and day he prayed most earnestly (v. 10). The reason was because he wanted to see their faces and to supply what was lacking in their faith (v. 10).

          Then what was the good news of love that Apostle Paul heard from Timothy? It was the news that the Thessalonian church saints always had pleasant memories of Paul and his co-workers and that they longed to see Paul and his co-workers , just as Paul and his co-workers longed to see them (v. 6). That was why Paul constantly thanked God. He also thanked God because the Thessalonian church saints were loving one another as they were taught by God (4:9). They loved one another even for all the brethren who are in all Macedonia (v. 10). Furthermore, the Thessalonian church saints, like Paul and his coworkers, worked and labored hard (2:9) and suffered (v. 14). In other words, they participated in suffering for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul, who heard this good news of love through Timothy, gave thanks to God continually. Do we have this kind of thanksgiving?

         I hope and pray that they are more good news of love. Also, I hope and pray that there are more good news of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and of participating in His suffering. In other words, I hope and pray that we can hear the good news of love that all of us are living the worthy of His gospel. I hope and pray that we may hear the good news of love that all of us love each other as we have been taught by God to do so that we may please our God.