Today’s SuperVerse is 1 Thessalonians 3:12– Overflowing Love!
Overflowing Love – 1 Thessalonians 3:12
In this passage Paul gives us a clear picture of his great affection for the Thessalonian believers. Even in the midst of strong opposition from the Jewish synagogue, he sought to be present in their presence and to encourage them in their walk with God. He exhorted them to live a life that was characterized by love and chaste behavior.
Throughout Paul’s epistles he gave them wise instruction on how to live the sanctified Christian life. He prayed for them, encouraged them in their work of spreading the gospel, and commended them to the grace of God.
He wanted them to be able to stand firm in the faith, and not be shaken by the world’s anti-Christian attitudes. He also wanted them to see that affliction is an appointment for believers, not something that happens to them by chance.
Paul also prayed for them to increase and abound in love (v. 12), and this was not only for their fellow Christians, but also for those in their community who did not know God.
Genuine love is not just a feeling for our brothers and sisters, but is based on an overflow of joy in the Lord that meets the needs of others. It is a fruit of God’s Spirit within our hearts, and it overflows in a wealth of generosity.
