Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, open my ears to hear what you have to say to me; open my heart to love your word, and open my mind to understand your truth.
This is a heart-warming chapter. Paul speaks of his deep love for the Thessalonians, and of his fear that they might have been seduced from their love of God by fear of persecution (verse 5). It's good news though: Timothy, whom Paul had sent to them, had returned and told him that they were still devoted to him, and of their ‘faith and love’ (verse 6).
Paul gets a bad press sometimes, for instance because of what people assume are his views about women. But he was an emotional man, capable of deep attachments. For him, the gospel wasn't just a set of theological propositions: it was about seeing people flourish and become all that God intended them to be. He loved seeing God work in people's lives. When they seemed to be departing from the truth, like the Galatians, he was furious – not like a bad-tempered maths teacher whose pupils have got an answer wrong, but like a parent who is terrified at the bad choices their children are making.
We can learn a lot from Paul, not just through what he said, but through who he was. Pastors should love their people, for one thing. Pope Francis said that a priest should ‘put his own skin and own heart on the line’ and be a shepherd ‘living with the smell of the sheep’. And we should remember that the gospel isn't just about a set of rules or a set of doctrines; it's about the heart and soul, as well as the mind.
God, help me to truly love the people with whom I worship or to whom I minister. Help me to want the best for them and to think the best of them.
This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor
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