Excel Still More

     Living in an age where with greater and greater frequency there is so much pursuit of more and more things for self, I find it quite interesting that in regard to godliness, the pursuit of more and more of righteousness seems to be waning.  At times it appears that we are content to get to a certain level of godliness and then we stop the pursuit of more.  I fear we don't get the real reality of Biblical faith as we embrace our own version of faith's definition and limits.  If our culture wants to get lost in worldliness, then why don't Christ-followers want to get lost in righteousness?  It is a question that I am asking myself in these days.  One would think that if we really believe He is the treasure, then we would desire to spend our life pursuing the enjoyment of "His pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11)  Again, we seem to just not get it.
     I am reading an epistle a day and today I found myself in 1 Thessalonians and 2x in 1 Thessalonians Paul deals with this idea of wanting more, or excelling more in our faith.  Here are the two verses in their context:
1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

1 Thessalonians 4

⁹ Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; ¹⁰ for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, ¹¹ and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,

In 2 areas he says that we should excel more, that we should not arrive at a place of contentment.  Here are a couple brief thoughts with each:

1. Excel more in walking to please God - There should never be a stopping place in our desire to live in such a way that God is pleased.  The limits of what is pleasing to Him cannot and must not be established by us.  The limit has been established and it is the life of the Lord Jesus, so until we are totally like Him, then we are to be striving to excel more and more.
2. Excel still more in loving others - The message is clear again that we don't decide how much love we give to others, but that we just love.

These two things are a great reminder for you and I today, that our desire is to excel more and more in two very important areas.