Verse by Verse Devotional on Philippians by Pastor Jack #200

Longing to See God’s People

4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

Paul, in chains in Rome, longs to see his beloved brethren in Philippi. This was a pattern for Paul. He was always wanting to see His friends in Christ.

Was Paul just a very social person? Was he just peculiar in this way? Or is this too a way in which Christians are supposed to imitate Paul? Is it appropriate that there are Christian hermits, who have no interest in being with, much less being close to God’s people?

Read how Paul expresses this longing to be with his friends in Thessalonica:

"But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us." (1Thes.2:17-18)

"But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you." (1Thes.3:6)

"We night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you." (1Thes.3:10-11)

This last reference helps us see why Paul was so anxious to see his friends: he wanted to build them up in Christ Jesus. Shouldn’t this motive compel all of us to long to be with our brethren in Christ?

Another passage that helps us see that this longing to be with the brethren ought to be in all of us is Rom.15:23-24:

"I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while."

Paul knew that God’s plan was that Christ’s people would build up and help each other, and so, in longing to see this happen, he longed to be with his brethren that he might build up and be built up by them.

Why would a person in whom Christ resides not like being with the people who are deeply loved by Christ? Christ loves to be with His people, and therefore His people ought to love being with each other.

And yet I have known Christians whose attitude is closer to "Brethren: whom I long not to see" than it is to what Paul says. There ought to be no room in a Christian’s heart for disdain for other Christians. Like Paul (and like Jesus), when we set our eyes upon the beloved of God we ought to rejoice in our hearts, not wish they’d go away.

Dear Father, I rejoice when I hear them say, "Let us go into the house of the Lord!" What a privilege it is to be a part of Your family! What blessedness in being with the children You so dearly love. Thank You for enriching my life with brothers and sisters in Christ. Please help me to be faithful to do my part to build them up and to be built up by them. Help me to be ever eager to be with and to be a blessing to Your beloved sheep.