One of the prodigal series has returned.
It has been two months since the last installment in the abounding love series. If you need a refresher you can read the inaugural post for our discussion of Philippians 1:9-11. Then we observed that abounding love comes in the context of prayer and the context of confidence.
Today I want to point out that abounding love is also in the context of care. The apostle Paul was thankful to God for the Philippian believers and told them in verse seven, “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart.” And in verse 8, “For God is my witness how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
Paul probably visited Philippi three times, once at the beginning of his second missionary journey and twice during his third journey. We don’t know exactly the reasons for all these visits, but we do know that out of those visits came a deep love and attachment, so much so that four or five years after his last visit he could write these words to the Philippians with expressions of care and concern like they had just been with each other.
Again, these are people that he cared for. Don’t you always look out for the ones closest to you? You want not just good or great things for them, you want the best. So the best request Paul could make was for abounding love.
2 Comments
Paul was/is a pretty cool guy. how he was faithful to that church and always had their best interests in mind is awsome.
Sarah, you are such a faithful commentor! Thanks for reading and for the interaction.