Chapter 2, Verse 19 “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to
you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.”
This verse and the next two seem to be of an introductory nature. He wants to send someone for news of the Philippian church. Obviously, he wants someone he trusts both to convey his situation and to bring accurate information from them. He wants to make sure they trust Timothy as well. He has spent the first part of the letter assuring the Philippians that he is okay with his imprisonment and even happy with the opportunities it is providing him to preach the gospel. He knows how they feel about him and he did not want them worrying about him.
At the same time, he is concerned about them. How are they handling their own brand of persecution? How are they dealing with the false teachers who have followed Paul everywhere he went? He is hoping for good news. We know from this and many other statements that Paul likes to take the positive approach.
Task for Today: Do you know someone far away that needs cheering news? Take time today to write a friend you know in a struggling church or perhaps a missionary and family who are separated from their family. If you know someone who is spiritually down, send them a card to cheer them up. Expand your Sunday into the week. Call and speak words of encouragement, write and uplift someone’s spirit, visit the sick and elderly and those in need.
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