When we look at 1 Thessalonians 3, we find that Paul ends this chapter with three prayers about the second coming of Jesus.  The first prayer is found in 1 Thessalonians 3:11, "Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you" (NIV).  At first glance this might not appear to have anything to do with the second coming; all that we see is a desire that Paul and his companions be able to come to the Thessalonians.  But this language recalls Paul's earlier comment in 1 Thessalonians 2:18, "For we wanted to come to you - certainly I, Paul, did, again and again - but Satan blocked our way" (NIV).  Paul longs to be able to be with his friends in Thessalonica, which comes out in chapters 2 and 3.  In chapter 2 Paul sensed a supernatural battle taking place: Satan was keeping Paul and his companions from seeing those friends.  Consequently, Paul does the only thing he can do in chapter 3 that enables him to invest in his friendships: he prays that the Father and Jesus, who are not hindered by Satan's activity, make a way for Paul and his companions to see their friends in Thessalonica.  The relationships he has made in Thessalonica obviously mean a lot to him, since he talks about them in 1 Thessalonians 2 in light of the second coming of Jesus, and will continue talking about them in 1 Thessalonians 3 in light of the second coming of Jesus.  Friends, how valuable to you are the people in your lives?  Do you often pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus will make a way for you to come to them and continue investing in those relationships?  Do you pray that they come to you, or that God engineers a way for you to come to them?  Investing in our relationships is something God wants us to do - especially in light of the soon return of Jesus.  God bless.