1 Thess. 3 -- Longing

I am in a club at my local community college called CRU. It is a campus ministry for Christ. We met today and the club has been a huge blessing to me! It is so uplifting to meet and worship and fellowship with other believers every week!

Anyway, the message from today was on 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. It reminded me lately that God knows the longing of my heart.... I'll get to that, don't worry.

Paul was talking about the Thessalonian church that he created and had to leave. (He was building and forming a lot of churches and creating disciples to lead those churches. He stayed for a year or two I think and then left to form another.) He is talking here about they were torn away in person, but not in thought. That meant Paul thought about them all the time! (This is where I was hooked!)
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about Lima, Peru where I went on my first mission trip overseas. A lot of things lately have been reminding me of either the people there or the land itself where we stayed as a team. Well, this applies to me because WE are separated in person, but not in thoughts and prayers.
In verse 18 of chapter 2 Paul writes that he wants to go back and see how they are doing, but was unable to, so in verse 2 of chapter 3, he sent Timothy to go down to encourage the Thessalonians in their faith. I am also wanting to go back and see my Peruvian friends again, but am unable to until next July. Thankfully, there is facebook so we can still communicate (with a lot of google translating).

But in verse 5, Paul admits he was afraid that "the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless." Wouldn't that be horrible to find out going back that all your work had been forgotten and almost seem as if there was no point anymore and it was all for nothing? Thankfully that was not the case. Timothy came back with a very encouraging report in verse 6. They had a strong faith and love. Also Paul writes, "He [Timothy] has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you."

My Peruvian friends tell me that they miss me. Sometimes I've wondered if they miss me as much as the team and I miss them. I can see why Paul was encouraged from that. Knowing that the feeling goes both ways, that both groups made an impact on each other and very encouraging.

Verses 9-10,11: "How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you."
I, like Paul, pray that I may see my friends again one day, and can only hope and trust that God will keep them all safe and answer my prayer.

God knows the longing of our hearts. I can only imagine the reunion that may have happened between Paul and the Thessalonian church years later! Probably many hugs, kisses, tears, and laughter, with everyone trying to talk at the same time. It makes me smile to think that one day, I will have a reunion like that with my Peru friends again next year!