1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 – We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
When you go in to visit your doctor, say for your annual checkup, it is guaranteed that before your session ends, he will hand you a list of things that you need to put into practice so that you can be healthy. A good doctor will include hydration, nutrition, sabbath, supplements, and other very practical recommendations for healthy living.
The end of many New Testament letters is a bit like that. The author wants to give the Christians who read His words some next steps in their walk with God. The hope is that these become healthy habits, a normal and natural part of the daily routine.
Too often, we are unhealthy in our body because of bad habits. The same is true of our soul. For example, how many of us would not skip meals for a month but would skip Bible reading? Or how many of us would not miss a week of drinking fluid, but would miss a week of praying to God?
God cares about our body and soul. So, Paul ends this letter with some very practical and helpful healthy habits for a strong soul, which we will learn more about tomorrow.
When you get to Heaven and meet Paul, are there any things in 1 Thessalonians you want to ask him what he meant?
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