FBC Daily Devotions

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Read 2 Timothy 1:18.

Because of Onesiphorus’ loyalty and friendship with Paul, Paul twice asks the Lord to grant mercy. The first occurrence asks for mercy on the household of Onesiphorus (some see Onesiphorus as being with Paul at the time, and so Paul is blessing Onesiphorus’ household from afar). The second is to Onesiphorus himself with the added words, “on that day”, meaning on the Day of Judgment. Whatever that may mean (i.e. why the need for mercy on the day of judgment), Paul is giving them really all he is able to give in his situation. Being imprisoned, he can’t give food or money or a gift of some kind. He can only grant words of hope for God’s mercy to Onesiphorus and his household on the day when all things will be unveiled for what they really are. In the case of Onesiphorus, the unveiling will reveal a moment of greater mercy for the mercy that he showed while in this world. How different that will look for Phygelus and Hermogenes who deserted Paul!

Paul’s words to Onesiphorus are perhaps more meaningful to someone who looks ahead to the glory of God. Many seek relief in the present, but perhaps Onesiphorus was mature enough in his faith such that words pertaining to the revelation of Christ on that day were just the encouraging  words he needed to hear.

To consider: 1) Paul gave all he could to encourage Onesiphorus. There was little more he could do in his situation. Consider this week giving a small word of encouragement or doing a small act of kindness for someone who has shown you care and friendship.  2) Where are you in your maturity? If Paul said those words to you, would it be encouraging to you?

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Side Note:

Why the need for mercy when Christ has removed the eternal consequences of our sin? When we come face to face with Christ, it will not be as if we will suddenly forget all of our past sins. Though they will not count against us, we will nevertheless see our sin for how bad it really was. Grace restores us to God, but as one scholar has noted, “mercy is extended for the alleviation of the consequences of sin.” When we see Christ, God will extend a great deal of mercy since we will not endure the consequences of our sin (i.e. hell). But will God’s mercy erase the grief and great sorrow of our sin? The book of Revelation records a picture of that day in chapter 21:

“…and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:4)

Have you ever wondered what those tears were for? In the context of mourning, crying, and pain, it would not be tears of joy (or else why would he wipe them away?), but rather tears of sorrow, perhaps the tears of the revelation of our once sinful selves. Perhaps the tears from a life of suffering in a sinful and painful world. Maybe both. But one thing is for certain, God’s grace and mercy will be more glorious on that day than we can fully understand right now in our limited view of eternity and our limited view of the impact and depth of our sin. God’s grace will shine ever so brightly in contrast to the grim reality of our sin. Perhaps Paul’s desire for mercy on the house of Onesiphorus stems from Onesiphorus’ great help to Paul. Paul’s hope is that Onesiphorus might experience less pain on the day of judgment in light of his good and faithful service.

IN SEARCH OF A FRIEND

Read 2 Timothy 1:17.

I’ve recently been invited to join Facebook by several old friends. What is Facebook? Facebook (from what little I know) is a website that one joins to make contact with friends new and old. It is a way to keep up on what’s going on in people’s lives. Suppose you want to find an old friend. You might go to Facebook, type in his or her name, and if they have joined Facebook, you can go to their personal page and find out what that person is doing these days. (I’m probably making it sound simpler than it is.) You might also be pleased to find other people you know linked into their page – people you hadn’t heard of for decades. The idea behind it is actually pretty cool.

Sadly, though, it can also be a reminder of just how poorly we’ve maintained contacts over the years. I must admit that I have lost touch with whole segments of my life. Haven’t been to a high school class reunion since the 10^th year. I have no idea what my old high school friends are doing. The same is true of my old college friends. Even someone I consider a close friend I probably talk to only once or twice a year. How sad!

Onesiphorus, on the other hand, is a great example of a great friend. Today’s verse says he searched hard for Paul until he found him. Now some might say that if Onesiphorus was such a good friend, he would have known where Paul was. But as Craig shared on Sunday, we have to remember that this was nearly 2,000 years ago. They didn’t have telephones or a unified postal service or newspapers or radios… nothing that would have notified Onesiphorus that Paul had even been imprisoned. So for even a good friend like Onesiphorus, to find Paul would have required perhaps miles and miles of activity – asking lots of questions (remember they didn’t have photographs), walking from one place to another trying to run down any leads. Staying in touch with friends was a lot harder back then than it is today!

If there is anything to be learned from Onesiphorus is that a good friend seeks out the well being of a friend no matter how hard it might be. He wants to make sure that his friend is doing okay. He wants to be there to encourage and support his friend. It may be very inconvenient sometimes, but that’s what friends do.

Do you have friends you are neglecting? Consider seeking them out. Find out what’s happening in their lives.

Maybe it’s time I joined Facebook.

REFRESHMENT

Read 2 Timothy 1:16

This week I met up with a man who would by an outsider’s observation be just plain difficult – difficult to understand, difficult to talk with, difficult to help. To be honest, they wouldn’t be that far off. A few days earlier we entered a restaurant, I could not help but wonder what people might think of us, and what kind of service we might get. Twenty-five years ago I probably would have been embarrassed to be with someone like this or to be associated with such destitution. Had I outgrown that pettiness?  

Thinking about today’s verse, it occurred to me that Paul praised Onesiphorus for his not being ashamed of him, but going even further by being a refreshment to him. Onesiphorus was not afraid to be associated with Paul. He searched high and low for Paul to be an ice cold drink on a hot, hot day. As I continue to minister to this man, it seems the challenge will be for me to be unashamed of him and go the extra mile to be a refreshment to him. Today I will be seeing this man in the midst of what has been another difficult few days for him. As I think about meeting him, I wonder how I might be a refreshment to him. I wonder as his situation declines how I might lighten his load and be a light in his dark world. One thing is for certain, carrying another’s burdens doesn’t have to come with a groan. We can choose to refresh those who could really use it.

How about you? Is there someone you know who needs some refreshment? Is there someone who maybe has certain things about him or her that might be a little (should I say) embarrassing? What can you do to help bring a smile in the face of a difficult situation?

Hey everyone, just wanted to apologize for the delays in the email deliveries of the devotions. I have found that the service I am using has been at times erratic. If you don’t receive an email, please check the website as it might be published, but simply not yet delivered. Thanks for your patience. God bless.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DISCOURAGED?

Read 2 Timothy 1:15.

Paul, known for his undying faith and irrepressible joy, sits alone in a prison in Rome. He is cold (cf. 2 Tim. 4:13 where he asks Timothy to bring his cloak); he has none of his precious belongings – like his scrolls and parchments (also 2 Tim. 4:13, no doubt parts of the Old Testament). He awaits his death sentence. And for perhaps the first time we see a somewhat lonely Paul. Perhaps discouraged. Perhaps in need of a friend. But what does life deal him? Deserters. People have moved on, leaving Paul to sit and die in prison. And Paul says, “Everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me.” Talk about adding insult to injury.  

Have you ever felt that way? Do you feel that way now? Your world is falling apart. There is little for you to do but sit around and wallow in discouragement. To have one disappointment after another. Add to that the abandonment of those close to you and it can be overwhelming. It can be discouraging to the point of depression. I am not suggesting Paul was at that point in his life (in fact, I am sure he wasn’t), but life is not without disappointment and discouragement.

Recently a friend was in car accident that damaged her vehicle significantly. Fortunately everyone was okay, but the car was in bad shape. Because she had rear-ended the car in front of her, she was said to be at fault. She was emotionally crushed and discouraged by the unexpected catastrophe. Imagine her double-disappointment to be confronted by the police officer shortly after saying, “Oh, by the way, here’s a ticket for reckless driving!” Talk about adding insult to injury!

Sometimes just when we think it can’t get worse, it does. The life of a follower of Christ is not without disappointment and discouragement. One of the worst forms of discouragement is the absence of friends when you need them most. If you ever get into that situation, one of the worst things a person can do is go into isolation; never tell a friend what’s going on; never call on a friend for help – in fact, there may not be any desire to be around anyone. That is one thing Paul does NOT do. The lack of friends is a terrible thing to him. It may be the cause of discouragement, but he doesn’t throw everyone out of his life.

Can I offer a suggestion? If you should find yourself in a place of discouragement, do yourself a favor, don’t go into isolation. Call a friend. Ask for help. And if you are that friend, don’t leave them alone during this dark time. Be a source of encouragement. More on that tomorrow as we look at a few good men who did just that for Paul. For now, though, be around people to give and receive encouragement. No one should be alone.