保罗的牧养关顾
帖撒罗尼迦前书二章17节至三章13节
17弟兄们，我们暂时与你们离别，是面目离别，心里却不离别；我们极力地想法子，很愿意见你们的面，
18所以我们有意到你们那里。我保罗有一两次要去，只是撒但阻挡了我们。
19我们的盼望和喜乐并所夸的冠冕是甚么呢？岂不是我们主耶稣来的时候，你们在他面前站立得住吗？
20因为你们就是我们的荣耀，我们的喜乐。
1我们既不能再忍，就愿意独自等在雅典，
2打发我们的兄弟在基督福音上作神执事的提摩太前去（注：“作神执事的”有古卷作“与神同工的”）坚固你们，并在你们所信的道上劝慰你们，
3免得有人被诸般患难摇动，因为你们自己知道，我们受患难原是命定的。
4我们在你们那里的时候预先告诉你们，我们必受患难，以后果然应验了，你们也知道。
5为此，我既不能再忍，就打发人去，要晓得你们的信心如何，恐怕那诱惑人的到底诱惑了你们，叫我们的劳苦归于徒然。
6但提摩太刚才从你们那里回来，将你们信心和爱心的好消息报给我们，又说你们常常记念我们，切切地想见我们，如同我们想见你们一样。
7所以弟兄们，我们在一切困苦患难之中，因着你们的信心就得了安慰。
8你们若靠主站立得稳，我们就活了。
9我们在神面前，因着你们甚是喜乐，为这一切喜乐，可用何等的感谢为你们报答神呢？
10我们昼夜切切地祈求，要见你们的面，补满你们信心的不足。
11愿神我们的父和我们的主耶稣，一直引领我们到你们那里去；
12又愿主叫你们彼此相爱的心，并爱众人的心，都能增长、充足，如同我们爱你们一样；
13好使你们当我们主耶稣同他众圣徒来的时候，在我们父神面前心里坚固，成为圣洁，无可责备。
信息分享
除了为教会祷告之外，保罗还会去探访教会。早些时候，他因为记挂帖撒罗尼迦教会的弟兄姊妹，便打发他的同工提摩太去到他们中间，了解他们的情况，并借机勉励和坚固他们。（三2）
提摩太带回来的报告令保罗十分振奋；这回是保罗因此深受激励（7节）。保罗在这段期间似乎是心身受压，可是，当他听到提摩太带回的好消息，便整个人振奋起来。
本章的最后三节是一个祈祷，当中充分显出保罗的牧者心肠。他渴望他们能在基督里不住成长，学习彼此相爱，也爱护众人（12节），并祈求他们在主里坚固成长。
事实上，每位牧者都应该这样为他的会众祷告，而每位信徒也应该努力迈向此目标。当今教会最需要学习的功课，莫过于信徒之间彼此相爱；唯有这样，信徒之间才不会互相批评、彼此妒忌，而且，信徒也会愈来愈像基督。这岂不是很值得追求的目标吗？
有时，圣灵会指出我们在言语和行为上缺乏爱心。
我们要经常留意圣灵的提醒，因祂深知我们各人的需要。圣灵唯一的心愿，是要在我们的生命中彰显耶稣基督。我们愿意让圣灵成就祂来的目的吗？
PAUL'S PASTORAL CARE
1 Thessalonians 2: 17 to 3: 13
17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone,
2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,
3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.
4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.
5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you—
7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith.
8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,
10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.
12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,
13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
Message
Paul not only prayed for them but he also visited the churches. In this case because of his concern for them, he sent Timothy, one of his team members, to report on their welfare. Timothy was to encourage and strengthen them, too (3:2).
Timothy’s report thrilled Paul. This time it was Paul who was encouraged (v.7). He seemed to have been under stress just then and the good news from Thessalonica was uplifting to him in every way.
The last three verses of Chapter three form a prayer. They revealed beautifully Paul's heart as a pastor. He told them of his desire for them to grow in Christ like love toward each other and for everyone else (v.12) He prayed that they would grow stronger in the Lord.
This should be the desire of every pastor for his people and also be the aim of every believer. The greatest need in our churches is certainly in the area of love for each other. That would prevent criticism. It would stop jealousy and it would make us more like Christ. Isn't that worth aiming at?
Sometimes the Spirit of God will convict us of our lack of love in our speech or our behaviour.
Listen always to the Spirit's voice. He knows our individual needs. His only desire is to reproduce Jesus Christ in our lives. Are we letting Him do what He has come to do?