The passage
      v3-4. Although it is unusual for the founder of a church to boast of his flock, Paul is happy to do so; he happily boasts about them to his other missionary churches. In the face of great odds they have remained steadfast in their faith. The word "faith" could refer to human "faithfulness", but here it most likely means "trust/faith" in God's faithfulness. Their firm faith in God is the source of their "perseverance" (steadfastness). His readers may look, as he does, to the day of Christ's return, yet in the present they must survive in the face of trouble. In their own power they will not easily stand, but God can see them through to the end.
      v11. The first point of Paul's prayer is that "God may count you worthy of his calling." That is, "may God pronounce you worthy of your standing in the fellowship of believers - approved for membership in the children of God." Such a pronouncement, at the day of judgement, is only ours by grace through faith and cannot be gained by obedience in the Christian life; we are all unfaithful servants. Of course, prayer activates God's grace, and so Paul prays for the approval of his readers.
      The "calling" of Paul's readers is their free association with the "called-out", "chosen" people of God. Membership in this divinely predestined family of humanity is through faith in Jesus. It is often argued that this "calling" of God is an effectual call whereby God chooses the membership. The member must then act worthily in their Christian life to confirm their calling and so be pronounced "worthy" at the day of judgement. This thinking leads to the heresy of sanctification by obedience and is best rejected.
      The second point of the prayer follows. May God "fulfill (bring to completion) every good purpose of yours." This may be a request for a God-empowered good intent to take control of their lives, but it is more likely a request for empowering goodness to infuse them. It is the compelling goodness of Christ which drives us to act in a godly way, and Paul prays for this compelling in the life of his readers.
      Finally, Paul outlines the third point of his prayer. May God fulfill "every act prompted by your faith." The sense of Paul's prayer is "may God bring to completion every activity which is prompted by your faith in Jesus."
      v12. Paul now reveals the purpose of these three prayer points. He prays for the Thessalonians so that "the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified." The "name" of Jesus encapsulates his character. This is the way the ancients understood a name; it frames the person's being. Paul prays this prayer so that the person of Jesus might be glorified; he wants the virtues of his readers to reflect onto Jesus, to give glory to Jesus. The actual name given is "Lord Jesus". The term "Lord" reflects the divinity of Christ, while the term "Jesus" reflects the manhood of Christ. In the end, the gospel focuses on Jesus as God (Lord) and living man (the sinless man, firstborn from the dead).
      Of course, as Jesus is glorified in the lives of his people, so are the people glorified in Christ. In the last day we will receive glory because of our association with Jesus. All this is according to the "grace" of God (his free favour and unmerited kindness toward us). This favour, this kindness, flows from both the Father ("God") and the Son ("the Lord Jesus Christ"). Jesus' title now includes "Christ". "Christ" is the title for the Davidic Messiah, the anointed one, the one foretold who would save his people from their sins. The full title, the "Lord Jesus Christ", is a common one in Paul's letters.

A prayer for mutual glory
      Prayer is a rather mysterious element in the Christian life, and this because we are not quite sure what to ask for, nor what answer we should expect. We often resort to simplistic formulas like, God loves us and is sovereign, so he will care for us when we ask something of him. That's why we end up with "Father Christmas" type prayers - the health, wealth and happiness type. Of course, the mystery is intensified when we find no rationale in the seeming "yes, no, not yet" answers.
      The way out of this humanist fog is to understand God's intentions. Rather than being subjective thinkers (what I need) and inevitably existentialist (what I need now), we should be objective thinkers focused on God. As Paul puts it, adopt "the mind of Christ" - think Christianly.
      When it comes to God's intentions, our passage for study gives us one that is definitely worthy of our prayers. The Father intends glory for the Son and in that glory we will ultimately bask. For the present, the Son is glorified in the life of his renewed people. So for this reason, Paul prays that his readers may be found worthy, may exhibit goodness, that their faith may be realized in deeds.
      May it be so for us, and may Jesus be glorified in us.