By He Reads Truth
Most meaningful friendships come in waves and seasons—you may have had friends for specific times in life, or some that last past childhood. We make new friends in adulthood, and there are those consistent friends that just endure forever. But, it’s unlikely that you live within a few minutes of all the people you cherish most.
Even if many of our favorite people aren’t just down the street, we can share incredible love and care with them from many miles away. While it’s easier to stay in touch with the myriad of ways to be connected these days, it still takes intentionality and effort to do so.
The same is true for Paul as he shepherded many churches from afar. The letters of Philippians and Colossians are just two glimpses into his pastoral care and affection for these communities of believers. One of them—the church in Philippi—he knew well because Paul himself had established it. Yet for the church in Colossae, he never got to be with them in person. Paul writes that he had deep affection for both, even if they connected differently due to distance and time. But at the heart of his letters, we see that Paul really wanted the same for all of them: to know more of God and the goodness of His gospel. He wanted it to sink into every nook and cranny of their lives.
That’s also what we want for you as you spend the next four weeks reading through these New Testament letters. May these words, written so long ago to a people far away, be good news for you here and now. Read Paul’s words like you would any timely words of encouragement from a dear friend, gathering the truth to encourage, challenge, and propel you today.
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