Devotional on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

by Tim Williamson

My family and I have recently started reading through 1 Thessalonians as part of our regular devotions. This is a wonderful letter that Paul sent to the church in Thessalonica to commend them and to encourage them to continue in faith, hope, and love. Unlike other churches where he was able to spend an extended amount of time planting and teaching (e. g., Ephesus), Paul was only able to spend a few weeks with the Thessalonian believers before he was forced to flee due to the outrage of the Jewish religious leaders in the local synagogue (Acts 17:1-8). His letters to this church reflect a desire to affirm them both in their doctrine and in their practice.