Once upon a time, in the ancient city of Athens, an assembly of faithful were left alone, save for the company of the apostle Paul and his dear comrade, Timothy. Unable to bear the separation from his beloved brethren, Paul thought it good that he stayed behind in Athens while sending Timothy back to establish, comfort, and check on their faith in the town from which they had come.

Paul’s greatest concern was that these afflictions and trials they all were facing could lead them astray, dilute their faith. He had previously forewarned them of the hardships that laying faith in the Gospel of Christ would bring, and they were living that truth now. Unable to bear the torment of not knowing how they were faring in their faith, Paul sent Timothy to find out if they had been tempted in his absence, for such a scenario would mean that all their labor in the name of God would have been in vain.

And so Timothy, a brother in faith and a minister of God’s gospel, was dispatched on a mission to establish and comfort the brethren in their faith, to shield them from moving away from the path due to the afflictions they were facing, which as Paul’s teachings suggested, were a form of divine appointment.

Timothy, obedient and faithful, set forth on his mission. He stayed with the faithful, imparting wisdom, reaffirming their beliefs, and sending word back to Paul of their condition. Each letter from Timothy filled Paul with joy, as he learned of their strong faith, their consistent love, and how they held Paul and his teachings in good remembrance keeping their spirits high.

The news of the steadfast faith of the brethren, their unwavering love, and longing to meet again, comforted Paul and his followers despite their distress and affliction. For, in the resilient faith of the brethren, they found the reason for their existence. Their joy knew no bounds, they thanked God for the unwavering faith and love of the brethren in town, for that was the fruit of their tireless labor for Christ.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, day and night, Paul and his followers prayed earnestly to the Lord, seeking to see their faithful faces once again and to perfect whatever was lacking in their faith. With hopeful hearts, they entrusted their journey back into the hands of Jesus and their God and Father. They wished for God to make the brethren increase and abound in love for each other and all men, just as they did.

And finally, they prayed for the brethren’s hearts to be unblameable in holiness before God the Father, awaiting the glorious return of their Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.