How fitting

Both letters to the Thessalonians begin with a thanksgiving statement. 2nd Thessalonians' beginning is a little different in its wording, however, from its corollary in 1st Thessalonians. In the first letter, Paul says we do thank God for you. In the second letter, the text says we ought to or must thank God for you because it is fitting. I guess these 2 reasons are the ones anyone would want to pray for someone else. We told someone we would pray, so we do. Perhaps, we just pray for someone on our own accord. But sometimes we pray for someone because we are compelled to pray for them, not because they force us to, but out of sheer admiration for the power of their lives' testimony. Praying is sometimes a nebulous idea. But, if we bring others up in our own conversations with God, then we have a reason to. Sometimes, it is to ask God something for that person, sometimes it is to stand with someone in God's presence, sometimes it is merely to say thanks for the person's life and his or her willingness to be such a grand example.

So, I say thanks to God for a number of people's testimony through their lives. The beauty and power of the statement they make for God each day amidst and after life's hard circumstances stirs my soul to uttering thanks and inspires my steps to remaining on the path that leads home. So, thanks to God is fitting.