Faith, love, and hope

Remembering your

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,  - I Thessalonians 1.2-3

I am amazed that as many people as Paul had contact with he had the mental capacity to remember all of these churches and all of these people. Paul told the Thessalonians that he gave thanks for them, that he prayed for them, and that he always remembered three things about them.

I remember without ceasing your

Work of faith

Labour of love

Patience of hope

Notice those words – faith, love, and hope. Do they sound familiar? ‘And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.’

Since these are the enduring traits it is important that we make sure that we prioritise them in our lives. When it is all said and done faith, and hope, and love will continue to endure. And love is the best of all.

I also like the words that go with them.

Faith produces works

Love motivates our labours

Hope gives us the patience to endure

Those are the tests of the reality of faith, love, and hope. When I look at my life do I see the kind of faith that moves me to work? If not I have to question the reality of my faith.  Does the love of Christ constrain me to labour for Him? Am I able to endure the things of this world because of the blessed assurance that gives me a hope that endures?

Could it be said that Roger has a work of faith, a labour of love, and patience of hope?