Tuesday, February 3, 2026
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:15-17 CSB
Faithfulness and Love
Last week we began a series called We Are The Church where pastor Jim leads us through the book of Ephesians. Our key truth is The church is not a destination, but a base of operation. Paul begins Chapter 1 by telling them they are “in him.” The congregation in Ephesus was made up of both Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles grew up pagan but now Paul encourages them in their faithfulness and love for each other. Their love for each other is an extension of the love they had discovered – the love of Jesus that had broken down all barriers. They were demonstrating the truth that all people can come together in Jesus, regardless of race, heritage, etc. He offers a prayer of encouragement because their faith and love demonstrating the testimony of their being “in him,” and their work in his kingdom.
We all love words of affirmation. We like it when others acknowledge good traits is us – sometimes traits we cannot see in ourselves. Encouragement in the body of believers is important and prayer is even more important. Paul encourages the church in Ephesus for their faith and love – not works to earn this encouragement – but a direct result of their relationship with God and work in his kingdom. Paul speaks of his inability to stop giving thanks for them ever since he has heard about their faith in Jesus and love for God’s people.
When someone says they are thankful for the testimony of faith and love they see in our lives it spurs us on to want to continue in our good works, to persevere. We must be careful to make sure we give the glory to God when others see any good in us. It cannot be for our own glory.
How does Paul encourage the church in Ephesus and how might we be encouraged today? When we are walking in Christ, our lives will reflect his faithfulness and love, pointing others to him in all we do and say. His presence flows through us to others. As the body of Christ, we should not take each other for granted but remember to encourage each other and give thanks for one another. We should lift each other up encouraging each other. When we encourage each other and pray for one another – giving thanks, we spur them on to good works. Who can you encourage today?
And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
