“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.”
(1Thessalonians 3:12)
Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians grew out of his joy over the grace already evident among them. Timothy had brought encouraging news concerning their faith, and Paul’s heart was so filled with joy as a result that thanksgiving naturally followed. Grace in others should always move our heart toward God, who is the author of every true spiritual good. Wherever genuine grace appears, the first glory belongs to Him who gave it.[1]
Yet Paul does not stop with thanksgiving for what has already been received. He immediately turns gratitude into supplication. Though the Thessalonians possessed grace, they still needed increase. Though love was already present, they needed to abound in it more and more. This teaches us that spiritual progress does not make prayer unnecessary; it gives further matter for prayer. The believer who has received grace still depends entirely on God for the enlargement, strengthening, and continued exercise of that grace.
The particular grace Paul asks God to increase is love. He prays that they would abound in love toward one another as well as toward all men. Love toward the saints is necessary, yet the heart enlarged by God must also reach beyond these familiar relationships to those outside the church and in the community.
Paul’s own love toward them becomes an example: “even as we do toward You.” Love for our brothers and sisters in Christ is demonstrated through active concern for their growth in grace, stability, and holiness. It does not only enjoy their company or speak kindly of them; it carries them before God and prays for their increase in every spiritual good.
Because God alone is the giver of grace, the giver of joy, and the One who increases love, let us ask Him to increase our love that we may become more capable of loving the saints, loving others, and giving Him the glory for every gracious work.
Contemplations:
- Increase What You Have Already Begun. You do not want me to be satisfied with just some measure of love. Whatever grace You have given still needs enlargement. Where my love is weak, strengthen it. Where it is narrow, widen it. Where it is inconsistent, make it steady. Let every evidence of grace become a reason for asking You to increase it still more.
- Let My Love Reach Beyond Those Who Are Easy to Love. Your command to love reaches farther than just those closest to me. Paul prayed for love toward one another and toward all men. Enlarge my heart beyond preference, familiarity, convenience, and natural sympathy. Keep me from measuring love by how much I receive in return. Give me a disposition that seeks the good of others because grace has taught me to love.
- Make Me Rejoice in Grace Wherever You Give It. Teach me to recognize Your work in others without envy, comparison, or suspicion. When faith, holiness, perseverance, or love appear in another believer, let my first response be gratitude to You for You are the author of every true grace. Let another person’s growth become an occasion for worship rather than competition. Give me the kind of spiritual joy that delights when Christ is formed in others.
- Put More Thanksgiving in My Heart Than I Can Express. Your grace always exceeds my praise. Even when I try to give thanks, the mercy is greater than the words. Increase my capacity to rejoice in what You have done, even when language feels inadequate. Make my heart full enough of gratitude that praise continually presses outward, though I can never render thanks equal to the grace received.
Prayer (Supplication):
Lord, make me increase and abound in love.
Whatever measure of love You have already given, do not let me remain content with it. Enlarge my heart. Make my affection toward fellow believers warmer, consistent, more patient, and more active. Let me seek their good, rejoice in their growth, carry their burdens, and remember them before You.
Teach me also to love beyond the circle of those nearest to me. Give me grace toward all men. Keep love from becoming narrow, selective, or dependent upon how others treat me. Rather, let Your grace make me generous in spirit, always ready to seek another’s good.
Increase my joy when I see Your work in others. Preserve me from envy when another prospers in grace. Let faith, holiness, perseverance, and love in another person become reasons for thanksgiving rather than comparison.
And when joy rises because of what You have done, direct my praise rightly. You are the giver of every grace. You are the One who works faith, love, obedience, and perseverance. Keep me from giving the creature the glory that belongs to You.
I confess that my thanksgiving can never equal Your mercy. Give me a heart more capable of praise, even when words fail. Let my gratitude overflow into prayer, and prayer into greater love.
Make me abound in love toward Your people and toward all men, and let every increase bring glory back to You, the author of all grace.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
Phil. 1:9; 2 Thess. 1:3; 1 Thess. 4:9; Rom. 13:8
[1] Robert Rollock, Lectures Upon the First and Second Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians, (Edinburgh: Robert Charteris printer to the Kings most excellent Majestie, 1606), 138-140.
