He “Directs” Our Hearts - 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 (ESV Strong's)
3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

He “Directs” Our Hearts

The church at Thessalonica was a faithful church and one that was doing good in their Christian walk.  However, someone had come to the church to falsely teach that Christ had already returned the second time.   Paul is writing to them to correct this false doctrine, while at the same time encouraging them to be engaged in their walk with the Lord.  The above passage tells them how to this engaging walk works.  Note what he tells them:

1. Their walk is based upon God’s faithfulness, not their own efforts.  In verse three we read that God is faithful and that he will “establish” them.  

2. Their is opposition to their walk that only God can fight for them.   In verse three it states that Satan is about to get them and God will fight that battle for them.  

3. Their present walk is one of faith and Paul recognizes that faithfulness.  Paul is not condemning them for not doing enough, he is commending them for their current walk.  In verse four we see him applaud them for their steadfast faith in Christ.   That is a motivating tool for any believer.  He also implies that they will continue this walk of faith in Christ.  

4.  Their faith will be “directed” by Christ to the Love of God and to further steadfastness.   The Greek word for “direct” in verse five is more than our English word “direct.”  Some places it is translated “guide.” But that too is weak and does not capture the true meaning of the Greek word.  The word carries the meaning of not just guiding the path, but making the path passable.  This would be a guide on an excursion into the jungle who also clears the path for us, as we follow him.   This thought might be captured well when the writer of Hebrews, talking about Jesus being the first one to suffer because the author, founder of our faith:

Hebrews 2:10 (ESV Strong's)
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Jesus made the way for us to know the Love of God. He made the way for us to see the Love of God.  He continues to make the way for us to experience the Love of God through the ministry of the Spirt as we have faith in Him.   We can rejoice that Jesus did not only show us the Love of God, He poured it into our hearts:

Romans 5:5 (ESV Strong's)
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.