Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Paul voices his real heartfelt concern for the church in Thessalonica by this short prayer. Firstly, he requests that our God and Father Himself act and allow Paul and his co-workers to travel to this congregation, and so encourage them.  Here Paul is using a word for direct that means to guide straight toward; that their walk with the Lord would be straight and not by a round-about route no have obstacles. Paul is praying that God would remove all obstacles so he would come directly to them. This in someway has a double meaning - Paul prays to be allowed to get to Thessalonica without obstacles, but also the hearts of those of the congregation act without obstacles. Paul knows, as Jeremiah learnt: I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. (Jer. 10:23). Thus the second part of the prayer.

Secondly, these Christians were being encouraged to increase their love in two ways and in two fields. He wants God, and not man to increase their love, among themselves (one another) and also towards people outside the congregation (and to all). Paul wants them to both increase their love, and to have it abound. Faith is a continual exercise (illustrated by Paul in the runner who strives to finish the race). Experientially, a Christian must exercise his or her faith; a person who does not exercise becomes weak very quickly, and so does an unexercised our faith. Our love for one another needs to be immense, which Christ is our example. But it's not a one off - our love needs to abound; indeed "super abound" as the Greek suggests, thus be continual.

Finally, Paul provides the purpose which relates to holiness. Paul is encouraging these Christians to put in place a routine that settles the heart onto a straight path towards God that is full of love for each other within, and without, the congregation. It’s the heart that is the centre of thinking, willing, and the feeling dimensions of human existence, and thus it’s the heart that is the centre of being holy. In are traverse of this world, it’s not just about waiting for the Lord's coming; here we see Paul’s concern for the Thessalonians to be ready to give a good account of themselves to the Lord, not just that they would merely be ready for His arrival.