“May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you.” -1 Thessalonians 3:12

This is the prayer for the church that Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion (Luke 22:42), it is the prayer that Paul wrote in his letter to the Thessalonian church, and it is our prayer today as we journey and wander through life on mission together.

Oh, that the Lord would grow us, bringing more people into his kingdom, and that we would have overflowing love for one another that spills out to everyone else.

This is the Christian way. Jesus gave a new command that his followers love one another so that outsiders would see that they belong to Jesus. They will know you by your love (John 13:35). Then in the knowing, the numbers will increase as others get in on this and love Jesus. It is a beautiful way. Better than any pyramid scheme or force conversion. This is the way of love.

We don't think about it and act on it often enough. We don't usually pray for our love for other Christians to increase, especially the ones who get on our nerves. But this is our way, the way of love. And it is by this love, for whatever unknown reason, that Jesus draws others to himself.

Let us be lovers today. Let's pray to abound in love for other Christians, that the Lord would shine our love into dark places for his glory, and that he would make us increase and abound in love.

This is an excerpt from Depths a daily devotional written by Jonathan Shradar.