Praying and Community

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. - 1 Thessalonians 3:9

Sometimes when Christians focus on inward growth (often called ‘fellowship’) cliques can form and people end up getting excluded. But not investing in Christian community isn’t the answer either - because then we’re stranded and lonely and unsupported.

When Paul prays for his dear friends in the Greek town of Thessaloniki he prays for both - that we’d love IN well and that we’d love OUT well. And notice the UP - he’s talking to God after all!

Think about some friends who need prayer. Take some time today and pray Paul’s prayer over them. Pray for God to empower them to be able to love better. Pray for them for deeper love in their community. Pray for them to love those outside the community well. And pray these things over yourself as well.