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Read: 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
Listen: 1 Thessalonians 2

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Paul describes his relationship with the Thessalonians as a father and child. Paul came to encourage, comfort and urge the Thessalonians to live worthy of God. Paul understands that accepting the gospel is the first step. God’s love and sacrifice invite people to a greater purpose and story. Finding purpose in God frees Paul from a self-absorbed life. His purpose is to labor alongside God and share the gospel story. He invites the Thessalonians to step into their greater purpose, too. It’s about living for God’s kingdom and his glory, not their own.

We may have invited God into our lives, but the greater wonder is he invites us into his life. He calls us to a higher purpose and into a greater story. We often make our stories too small. We get preoccupied with buying things, making money or earning degrees. Paul says our desires are far too small of a mission to orient our lives around. The gospel isn’t just about getting into heaven. God desires to get heaven into us. When we go deeper into the gospel, we experience the freedom to live a worthy and meaningful life. Heaven begins to emerge in our everyday lives and transforms those around us.

TODAY: God called you to a higher purpose. Take a moment to express your gratitude and pray, “God, thank you for being the author of my story. Thank you for the freedom to become the person you created me to be. Help me to orient my purpose around you. Amen.”

JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

Read Ezra 9-10. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Focus on the call to holiness and separation from sin. Consider how Jesus calls us to holiness while offering forgiveness (1 Peter 1:15-16).