The Wednesday Update

Lakeshore Friends—

In our Sunday series in 1 Thessalonians, “Can You Relate?”, we’ve learned how great relationships are formed, how they go deeper, and how they avoid potential landmines from the incredible relationship that the Apostle Paul had with the Christians at Thessalonica.  These lessons have helped me grow in my relational abilities with others and I hope they are doing the same for you.

As these first three weeks have progressed and built on each other, they raise an important question: how do we know that we have worked to develop a great relationship with someone?  The kind of relationship that really is going deeper,  the kind of relationship where you can be confident that your closeness is real and not just temporary?  The kind of relationship that can weather the storms of life?

The answer is found in the lessons we will look at on Sunday in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8.  Without giving you the outline in this post, let me share the big picture answer: every great relationship that truly is going deeper will pass the tough tests it faces.  In fact, the very tests that actually work to build beautiful relational depth are like a caterpillar who works to escape its cocoon and become a beautiful butterfly.  Tests let us know where we stand in life, and it’s all the more true when it comes to relational tests.

I hope you will be here on Sunday as I share the five tests that Paul and the Thessalonians passed and how they can help us assess our own relationships.

Warmly,

Vince