Help At Last!
4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.
It had been several years since the Philippians had been able to send a monetary expression of their friendship to Paul. They had shown their love and commitment to him in the past in an exemplary way (see v.15-16 and 2Cor.8:1-5, which is primarily referring to the Philippians). Now they have renewed the demonstration of their love by sending a gift through Epaphroditus.
Even though Paul understood that the Philippians had not had any opportunity to get a gift to him in the meantime (and he is careful not to accuse them), the wording of this verse makes it clear that Paul had sorely missed their expressions of support and concern.
This is something we can all identify with, though few of us have experienced it on the level of Paul. There are times we are feeling alone, like no one else is noticing our trouble. Even when we know that there are folks who care but who are unable to act out their concern at the moment, it is hard to keep going when no one is encouraging us. Paul was in chains. He was completely dependent on the kindness of others for even such essentials as food to eat. It is clear from v.11-12 that he had been experiencing a time of suffering, need and hunger. How he longed for their help and support!
The problem is that we are quick to notice how much we are in need of the support of others, but we are slow to notice how others are in need of our support.
How much it meant to Paul that the Philippians remembered him and sent an expression of their loving concern. In the same way there are Christian people you know who would be exceedingly blessed if you took a moment to remember them through a note, a call, a gift.
I am especially concerned about those who labor for Christ on the mission field, where they are separated from loved ones. It is easy for them to be forgotten.
My wife heard Elisabeth Elliot say recently that whereas she and her husband Jim are world-famous because he was killed by the Auca Indians in the 1960’s, Jim’s brother has been serving as a missionary in Peru for over 40 years, and hardly anyone knows it. He is one of thousands of quiet servants of Christ who have abandoned everything in order to pour out their lives for the sake of the gospel just like Paul did.
And if Paul longed for the support of his friends, how much do those who are on the mission field long for it today!
If you aren’t personally supporting a missionary at least through your prayers and encouragements, you need to get doing so. Just as there is a world of need for missionaries, so there is also a world of need for missionary supporters.
And in these days of email, it is easy to stay in touch all around the world.
You may have been prevented from doing this by lack of opportunity, like the Philippians with Paul. Maybe you don’t know any missionaries. If this is the case, one thing you can do is call a missionary agency and ask for names and addresses (incl. email) of some missionaries you could encourage. Here are some missionary agency addresses:
Mission to the World
PO Box 29765
Atlanta, GA 30359
404-320-3373
email: info@mtw.org
Wycliffe Bible Translators
7500 W. Camp Wisdom Road
Dallas, TX 75236
214-709-2400
World Harvest Mission
100 West Avenue W960, Jenkintown, PA
19046-2625. Phone 800-916-9410.
Web page: www.whm.org
E-mail: info@whm.org
New Tribes Mission
1000 E. First Street
Sanford, FL 32771
407-323-3430
Pioneers
PO Box 527
Sterling, VA 22170
703-478-0004
Father, forgive me for how self-absorbed I am. Make me into a man who is other-centered like Christ. Help me to remember those who are alone. You have so many servants who need encouragement. It was You who blessed Paul through Epaphroditus. Now make me a tool of Your love, Lord, that my life might be a blessing to many of Your people. Use me to refresh the souls of those whom You love.