So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. {Phil 1:7 NLT}
The stand you take to support a brother/sister in the faith during their time of pain or distress, is what actually endears that brother/sister to you. That is an example of what love should be for believers. Our scriptural focus for today states – So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. The Philippian church did not see Apostle Paul’s imprisonment as a opportunity to cut ties with him, rather they used it as an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ towards him. They also used his imprisonment as an opportunity to make him realize that he was not alone in defending and confirming the truth of the good news to the gentiles. Their acts of love created a special place in the heart of Apostle Paul for this church. Having shared in his bonds, they also shared in the grace/special favour God made available to him in the discharge of his divine assignment.
What should create a special place in the heart of the ministers of the gospel for their members, is not necessarily the personal gifts they receive from such members, but it should be the sincere efforts put in by the members in the defence and confirmation of the gospel of Christ to the world around them.
This people became one with Paul in his persecutions, abandoning your brother/sister in the faith during their times of persecution is not a demonstration of the love of Christ, rather you should be one with them in such times.
The value of love is in the way it is demonstrated.
Have a Grace filled day – Good News awaits you.
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Last modified: November 16, 2015
