Friends On A Mission

Friends On A Mission

Bible: Philippians 1:3-11

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now (VV.4-5).

Reading

When I was visiting an old couple from my church, the man (a retired soldier) told me with a smile, “Sometimes I get along better with my army mates than my own wife!” While his love for his wife is obvious, he was explaining that the friendships fellow soldiers have are very meaningful to them. Retired soldiers are more than just friends; they’re friends who have been on missions together. They’ve gone through life-threatening dangers side by side, creating a very strong type of bond between them.

This idea comes up in the book of Philippians. Paul clearly loved the church in Philippi, writing that he longed to be with them (PHILIPPIANS 1:8). But at the same time, his love for this church wasn’t just a result of a good friendship, but because of their “partnership in the gospel” (V.5). Paul and the Philippian church weren’t just friends—they were friends on a mission together for the gospel.

We’re often quick to separate the different relationships of our lives from one another: perhaps placing friends on one side and church family on the other. But all the Christians we know are on the same mission as us—facing the same troubles, dangers and problems. This gives us even more reason to pray for one another with love and concern, as Paul did for the Philippian church!

ALL CHRISTIANS STAND TOGETHER AS SOLDIERS OF JESUS. 2 TIMOTHY 2:3

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries