Again today, I’m struck by the specificity with which Paul prays. Look at this, from 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13: “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”
Two very specific requests: that their love would increase and that their hearts would be strengthened. And both with a specific purpose.
Increasing love, Paul felt, would overflow onto other people. Strong hearts would enable them to be blameless and holy. What he really wanted was for them to please Jesus and love other people. In order to get that for them, he prayed for increasing love and strong hearts.
I’m reminded that, the closer I get to praying in God’s will, the more specific I can be and still have confidence I’m seeing things the way God does.
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