God of the Journey, journey with this dear reader in a way this is blessed and fun! In Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Philippians 2:19-30: 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you. 20 I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But Timothy's worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me; 24 and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon. 25 Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, your messenger and minister to my need; 26 for he has been longing for all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy, and honor such people, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for those services that you could not give me.
In every church there are those faithful servants that we count as our co-workers, brothers/sisters, and fellow soldiers in our fight against evil and the forms in which it presents itself to the people of God. Sometimes these servants are so faithful we take them for granted as always being there and we hate to see the day when age and illness claim them and their presence is no longer there or the day approaches when they will not be there in the same capacity. Here in our church we have two such dear sisters who have labored long and hard for the work of the Lord. One has been our organist, "Miss Bea" as we lovingly call her; the other has been our Welcome Center "mom" who, even at age 92, was the first at church, put in cinnamon rolls in the oven, made coffee, prepared juice and then set these out for those who come to our early service and Sunday school. This is our sister Ola. Both have a need to retire and it has broken the hearts of those who know and love them. I among them. Both represent a commitment to God that is fast dying in our churches unless we find those who are willing to step up and take their place. I told our church council that to find even one applicant for organist in this day and age is a rare thing for organists are a dying breed. And yes, to find a person willing to rise early on a Sunday when all the world seems to want to sleep in, to come and prepare nourishment even for the homeless that come just for a hot cup of coffee and a hot roll, also seems to be a vanishing type of special person. Such was that which Paul mentions in today's passage. Being in his situation Paul could not freely travel as he once did and the needs of the church in Philippi were such that he could only send the one whom he trusted would do right by that church and that was Timothy. The church had sent word to Paul of their needs through one of their faithful, Epaphroditus, whom some scholars believed worked so hard he came close to killing himself from the work in Christ that he did.
What is being said about us and our commitment to the Lord (or lack thereof)? Are we faithful and hardworking? Are we there every Sunday unless we're sick or out-of-town? And how do we treat those who are? Look again at verse 29: (NAS): "Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy and hold (folks) like (them) in high regard." May our prayers be with the Beas and Olas of our churches, may our prayer also be that God raise us up to take those places that are being vacated by these saints.
PRAYER: God of all people, we praise You and thank You for dear sweet servants such as Bea and Ola. Bless and protect them during these days. As they enter into a new chapter of life, may You help them continue to write sweetly and lovingly those pages of life and the fullness of life. And raise up from among us those who can come forward and serve You in the same way. Let our prayer stir in us and in those for whom we pray, a newness of life and attitude towards life that we may faithfully serve You. We ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
