Scripture:

In spite of persecution (writes Paul) you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia… For the people of those regions report … how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God. (Thessalonians. 6,7,9)

Reflection:

Paul is writing to a young, heavily persecuted Christian community in Thessalonica, a major Roman provincial capital, where refusing to worship the emperor risks serious repercussions. These new Christians know all too well that they are risking persecution for their faith, yet their lives are so radically changed by their wholehearted acceptance of the Gospel that their faith has become a model for the whole of the surrounding region. Their faith is not mere intellectual acceptance of the Gospel, but a new way of living, a life lived in love and hope and joy.We pray that we may use the freedom we enjoy in the service of God and our fellow human beings.Revd Rosemary