I thank my God upon every
remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all
with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being
confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will
complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to
think this of you all, because I have you in my heart
If you ask me to identify my favorite verse the Bible, it is very
likely that I will produce a “top ten” list rather than a single favorite. It’s
just too difficult to identify a single verse. However, one verse consistently ranks
very high. It’s Philippians 1:6. For me, this is a verse of frequent mediation
and reference. Whether I speak it aloud or rehearse it in my mind, I consider
the powerful impact it is had on my life. In particular, I like to remind
myself that God has begun “a good work” in me and is more than able to complete
it.
The beauty of this verse increases as I consider the context. These
words were included in a letter from Paul and Timothy addressed to believers in
Philippi. What a great encouragement! But, it’s not fair for me to be selfish
with the verse – as if it is a promise that I can simply claim for myself. It’s
not enough that I believe that God will complete the work He has begun in my
life. It’s paramount that I pass this reassurance along to others. Paul
reminded his friends in Philippi that he was compelled to encourage them because
of the place they occupied in his heart.
When I carry people in my heart, it increases my motivation to
encourage and pray for them. I have just returned from visiting Cambodia. While
I was there, one by one many beautiful servants of the Lord climbed into my
heart. I will not soon forget getting to see our precious Marife. We have
sponsored her for over a year now. When Nick in I embraced her, she climbed
into our hearts. No wonder the Apostle wrote, “I thank God upon every
remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all
with joy.” When I pray for Marife, I trust that the same God, who has begun
a good work in me has begun a good work in her life, is going to complete it.
Read Philippians 1:3-8. Who comes to mind? Who is in your heart? Who
will receive encouragement from you this week?
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