Philippians 4:10-17
I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.
You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I’ll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia province, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give-and-take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out—and not only once, but twice. Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My Mam-ma Polly lived alone in her own home until a few months past her 98th birthday. When I would talk to her or visit, she would often say, “I haven’t seen a soul”…or “I haven’t heard from anybody in days.” In truth, her house should have had a revolving door to accommodate all of her visitors…and if you were able to get through to her on the telephone, congratulations! But even if a single soul had never visited my grandmother…if she had never spoken to anyone on the phone…she would have been rich in love and care.
For all of the tangible calls and visits my grandmother received, she did not fully grasp how many people were working on her behalf “behind the scenes”. She didn’t see the countless hours that others spent charting her health, managing her finances, running her errands, maintaining her home…and most importantly – praying for her. Like many of us, she dealt in concrete examples. I know that Mam-ma knew in her heart that others cared deeply for her…and were doing all sorts of things on her behalf. But it was somewhat that “out-of-sight-out-of-mind” mentality. And we are all like this, to some degree.
Trust me when I tell you that others are praying for you. I believe that wholeheartedly. A parent…relative…church member…friend…co-worker…teacher/coach…neighbor…SOMEONE is praying for you! More importantly, we all need to fully understand that we are not defined by other people! We are not the measure of who prays for us…who does nice things for us…or even who loves us. We will never be fully whole in Jesus until we grasp how totally complete we are in Jesus Christ! As long as we have Jesus, we have everything – and everyone – we need!
I get it. This is a tough concept to completely internalize. We are wired to be dependent on love and nurture from others. But until we embrace the love of Christ and make Him all that truly matters in our lives, we will be somewhat crippled in our faith walk. There is nothing wrong with desiring the company and care of other people. I know that deep in her heart, Mam-ma Polly knew that Jesus loved her immeasurably…and this was all she truly needed. She just liked playing the “poor old widow woman” card! And we are no different. A lot of us know that we are complete in Jesus…we just enjoy a little "pity party" once in a while.
We need to get up and get going…to look around us and see who needs our love, prayers, concern – and even tangible “good deeds”. We need to earnestly turn to Jesus…to recognize that He is with us - and He really is all that we need. We need to be grateful for those whom Jesus has sent to love and nurture us in an earthly form…the “angels among us” who pray for us and lift us up in ways we cannot physically ascertain. And we need to be very busy sharing Jesus with others.
The time has come for the “Poor-Me Pity Party” to end…and the “Complete and Content in Jesus” celebration to begin. We have open invitations to both…which one will you choose to attend?
©2014 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment