YEARNING FOR YOU
Opening Prayer
Father, as I read and meditate on your Word today, speak not only to my mind, but to my heart. Speak to me in ways that move me to deeper service for you.
Read PHILIPPIANS 1:1-11
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons[a]:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Footnotes
- Philippians 1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What do you think ‘being confident’ means? How confident are you in your Christian faith?‘I would never be brave enough to do anything like that!’ Ever heard anyone express their lack of personal self-confidence? Some people may be confident of their abilities, but may still be unsure how they might be received. Others lack confidence because they doubt the relevance or truth of what they have to say or do.
Strikingly, the opening paragraphs of Paul’s letter are brimming with confidence on every level. Look at how confident he is of the love the Philippian Christians have for him (vs 5,7,9). In response, he yearns for them (v 8). What about his own confidence in their faith and his right to support and advise them? And look at how confident he is in God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is almost overwhelming. It reads so boldly. God was not asking them to be like Paul, but his example was there to be imitated. No need to feel intimidated. It was just that they had experienced God’s love through Paul’s ministry. Here is a fabulous example of one Christian feeding the faith of others who know and trust each other.
Apply
How do you pray for those whose faith in God really matters to you? When you pray for them, is your prayer similar to Paul’s prayer for the Philippians? How do you show your confidence in them and in God?
Closing prayer
Jesus, thank you for the fellow believers you have placed in my life. Show me how I can bless them, encourage them, and strengthen them in their walk with you.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
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