2 Thess. 1:1-12, A Prayer for Blessing in Affliction (1)

For whom is Paul praying?

He is praying for “the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  This is a prayer for believers.

To whom is Paul praying? “our God”

What moves Paul to pray?

Verse 11 begins with “therefore.”  The previous paragraph describes a growing church (your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, v3).  This growth in Christlikeness is taking place in persecutions and tribulations.  Paul is assuring them that, as difficult as the situation is that they are enduring, in the end (when He comes, in that day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe), God will give them rest and those who trouble them will receive their just punishment.  This assurance brings him to prayer, not praying that they will be delivered from persecution but that their faithfulness in affliction will bring glory to God.

For what is Paul thankful?

The body of the prayer is in v11-12 and this contains the request.  But back in v3-4 Paul talks about what he is thankful for, and it is yet again, their faith and love and their patience and faith in the midst of persecution.  We have spoken about this because it is common in Paul’s letters.  But let us note that, in this context, it is the faith, hope and love that has brought them into the persecutions and tribulations. 

What requests does Paul present?

In several of Paul’s prayers we have noted only one request, sometimes with multiple effects brought about by the answering of that one request.  In this short prayer there are two requests, and the second one has a part “A” and “B” so that you might think there are three requests.  Let us begin with the first.

·       Request #1: that our God would count you worthy of this calling. 

What calling is Paul talking about?  It can refer to the beginning of their new life, as in 1 Cor. 1:26: you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.  But the term is also used of our goal, as in Phil. 3:14: I press toward the gosl for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  In fact, those are not “two” callings but the same calling.  We have seen Paul’s confidence in Phil. 1:6, that the One who began the work in the believer will complete it.  I believe that, in this request, that is what Paul is asking for, in praying God would count them “worthy” of calling them.  In other words, that through the afflictions, they would be faithful, showing, as he says in 2 Th. 1:5, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God.  In 1 Th. 2:12 Paul encouraged these same believers, to walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.  Think about this, and we will pick it up in our next post.