New Testament | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 (with Tom Gastil)

Opening Song:
Do With It What You Will by Jon Guerra

Lyrics:
You have given all to me
To You, O Lord, I return it
Everything I have is Yours
Do with it what You will

You will gather all of me
Every gift, every burden
Every day and every hour
Do with it what You will

I lift it up
I lay it down at Your table
Multiply my sacrifice
For You are able

I will take my daily cross
Every step of the journey
I will bear it for Your sake
Do with it what You will

I lift it up
I lay it down at Your table
Multiply my sacrifice
For You are able

Take my laughter and my loss
Make them tools of Your mercy
Anything my hands can make
Do with it what You will
Do with it what You will
Do with it what You will

Passage:
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly[a] mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Musical Reflection:
“Air on the G String” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major by J.S. Bach

Reflection Notes:
The slow, descending bass line creates musical “steps” in an elegant fashion while a suspended melody several octaves above creates a satisfying combination of sound registers.

Prayer:
O GOD Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant us, we pray thee, to be grounded and settled in the truth, by the coming down of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. That which we know not, . . . reveal; that which is wanting in us, . . . fill up; that which we know, . . . confirm, and keep us blameless in thy service; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-Clement