Grab your Bibles and turn to 1 Thessalonians 3. We will finish out this

chapter this week. We will slow it down and only cover three verses. But

these three verses serve as a timely reminder for us.

This is a short, pastoral prayer.

Paul has referred to his prayer life already, but now he actually prays. He

just writes it down. His intercession is: “uncomplicated, but profound.”1

It is God-centered, it is spiritual in content, it is focused on others,

and it is an acknowledgment of total reliance upon the Lord.

Paul has a big, positive view of God’s trustworthiness to get the job done.

He can do what we can’t. Exclusive confidence. It’s going to bless us as we

consider how to deal with the burdens we are bearing in life right now.