March 20, 2013 - Serving

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need. For he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrows.       —Philippians 2:25-27 (ESV)

I make my living by nursing others who are very ill back to health as a Registered Nurse in an ICU. My wife is also a Registered Nurse at the hospital so often our conversations will revolve around nursing topics or people who we have helped. I am very familiar with the methods and tools used to help people back to better health.

During the time that Paul was writing his letters to Phillipi in the first century there was not much around in the way of medical care so if you became ill it likely meant death would soon follow. Paul writes of the tender heart of Epaphroditus who becomes distressed not because of his illness but because he heard, that his church heard, that he had become ill. He knew that they would think that he had died and failed his mission.

The Church in Phillipi had sent Epaphroditus to Paul in Rome with money, messages and compassion to care for Paul. Epaphroditus falls ill Paul says and was even near to death, but God shows mercy.  If I saw Epaphroditus near death I would give him I.V. Fluids, Antibiotics, clean any of his wounds, give him medications to help his blood pressure, give him a ventilator or dialysis to help his failing organs. This man didn't have access to these treatments but he did have a relationship with Christ. This first century man experienced God's mercy and lived beyond illness. 

The text does not say Epaphroditus went shouting from the roof tops of his healing, but it does tell of his desire to continue to show Christ's love and serve. As we are preparing for Easter during this lenten season may our hearts be like Epaphroditus and be tender hearted and have an over whelming desire to serve our King and his people.

~Nate Bunnell