Today’s devotional topic is about relationships forged between those with the common goal of sharing and defending the gospel. It’s easy to think of pastors and missionaries, but what about the people in the pews? I find it easy to have friends with common interests such as young families, hobbies, employment, education, yet not as many are focused on the same goal as Paul and the NT Christians.
It is right for me to feel this way about you all because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:7–8)
MacArthur speaks of those who were an important part of Paul’s life and who stood by him in every way, even when he was persecuted and put in prison. This is not the average activity of the average Christian. We tend to form relationships on other common interests. For me, this includes a common desire to study the Word of God and pray for the burdens God puts on our hearts.
This is the reason our ‘small group’ has become a group united in our affection for one another. This word is also translated as compassion. It can be emotional, but not necessarily. For us, it is more about kindness and caring expressed in words and especially in praying for each other’s concerns. If one family is hurting or has a problem, we all share their anxiety and pray for that situation.
Many of our prayer requests are about temporal situations that concern us. However, I’ve found it even more binding to share concerns for spiritual needs, especially for those who do not yet know the Lord and their lives are messed up with decisions made apart from His grace. While we may not experience the same problems in this life, all of us know and love others who need Jesus. We also all know the power of His love in our lives.
As Paul stated, his affection focused on those who were with him in his ministry to serve the Lord. We do that by advancing the gospel, by walking with and sharing Christ. Those who are not Christian can share common bonds about the trials of this life, but only those who are in Christ carry His burden for the lost.
That said, our group prayers become different when we pray for someone’s salvation rather than illness, marriage problems, financial worries, etc. Eternal life is vital, and the burden that others know forgiveness, cleansing, and peace with God seems to deepen our relationship with each other as we pray for those people. As today’s reading says, there is a special camaraderie among people who work toward life’s most noble goals and see God achieve eternal results through their efforts.
Lord, the devotional writer also says to guard those relationships, and cultivate as many as possible. I agree yet realize it is You and Your presence among us that makes the difference. Each of us admit how easy it is to focus on ourselves, or put physical well-being higher on the list than spiritual well-being. My prayer is that we do not drop either focus, yet remember that this life is not all there is. Those people that we pray for need Jesus because it is in You that we find victory over the trials of life, and can even learning from them. It is also in You that I learn to listen for Your instructions on how to pray. I can be begging for healing when You are using sickness for an important reason. As our small group continues to study and pray, unify us in our desire to seek your will and glorify Your name.
MORE: Pray for the members of our small group each day, and for their requests. Do a word study on ‘encouragement’ and ‘edification’ or forms of those words. How can I deepen my relationships by obeying the Lord in those areas?
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