Day 4: Encourage and strengthen
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
God our Father and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You pour out Your grace on us abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:14).
You have given us eternal encouragement and good hope (2 Thessalonians 2:16) by giving us the gift of Your Son—Christ in [us], the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). But on this side of eternity, as You commission us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1), we can grow weary or discouraged, hindered or entangled.
The apostle Paul understood these dangers when he prayed for present encouragement for the Thessalonian believers. And what an assurance it is for us to know that we too, can ask for the endurance and strength we need!
And so we ask that our Lord Jesus Himself, and God our Father—having already demonstrated Your immeasurable love to us—give us the strength and endurance we need to persevere. You see our struggles and our discouragements, our losses and our failures. Lift us up today, O Lord, You who uphold all who fall and lift up all who are bowed down (Psalm 145:14).
Strengthen us in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:17): Renew us when we are tempted to become weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). When we are tempted to give up, help us to press toward the mark (Philippians 3:14 - KJV).
And help us to speak the words of Jesus, words of spirit and life, mindful of Your command, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). Help us to encourage each other as You encourage us and strengthen our hearts.
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