My dear readers,

When I Remember You . . .

Memories are precious. They are reflections of life. The longer we live, the more memories we have. Conversely, the shorter our lives, fewer will our memories be. The husband and wife who work and leave their baby to others to raise and take care of will have very few precious memories of their baby speaking the first word, or crawling and walking for the first time. Sadly, the person the baby calls for the first time is not “mommy” or “daddy” but a stranger’s name. How we live this life today will be the memories we have tomorrow. Life is short. Memories will be all that we have when relationships end. The eulogies of loved ones who are taken from us are the times when we find out what memories we have of one another. Let us not wait for eulogies.

The Apostle Paul had fond memories of his beloved spiritual children as he languished in prison under house arrest. He knew he would never see them again on earth. The last time he spent time with them was during his third missionary journey. The believers in Philippi came to know Christ during Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul had wanted to go eastward but the Macedonian call came from the Lord to redirect him westward. In Philippi the first convert was Lydia, a seller of purple; and Paul experienced his first imprisonment and where he shared the gospel and God saved the Philippian jailer and his family (cf. Acts 16:11-40). He loved them and they loved him in return. Paul remembered them fondly.

The memories we have of one another will be the reflections of our time spent together. Will they be fond memories to recall with thanksgiving to God, or bad memories that we would rather forget, or will there be no memories at all because we have lived as a recluse afraid of being hurt and hurting others? Let us all think about this as we enter into our last Lord’s Day of the year and stand at the threshold of a new year. What memories will you have of each other, and what memories do you wish to have?

The Apostle Paul wrote from prison: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:3-6).

Before God (Phil 1:3-4) – It was before God in prayer that Paul’s memories were most pure and honest because he knew that he could not hide anything from his Heavenly Father. Paul was thankful to God when he remembered his time in Philippi. There were persecutions and he was thrown into prison, but during his time spent in Philippi the church was founded and God used him to save souls. It was a church that had her problems, one of which was that some Christians preached the gospel with the wrong motive which the Apostle corrected in his prison epistle to them. It was a church that loved the Lord. It was a church that loved Paul and was grateful and obedient to him. Paul was fearful that they might obey God in his presence only so he encouraged them to obey even in his absence. Philippians 2:12-13: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” He remembered them by praying for them before God’s throne of grace and mercy. There is no better place and way to remember one another.

When we remember one another, do we pray for one another?

Before the Brethren (Phil 1:5) – What Paul remembered was the sweet fellowship he had with the Philippian brethren. They gave him fond memories. For Christians, there are no better memories than memories concerning the work of God. Paul brought them the gospel that saved them. There is no greater experience than to see souls saved after sharing the gospel. To be used by God to lead someone to Christ gives a tremendously fulfilling joy. Paul witnessed more than one conversion in Philippi! It made his being persecuted for Christ’s sake very worthwhile. To spend time with them and see them grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ is comparable to godly parents seeing their children grow in the Lord after their salvation experience. They ate together. They talked and shared their lives together.

Paul and the Philippian Christians fellowshipped together in the work of the Lord, in terms of service, worship and prayer. This resulted in sweet memories and encouragement especially to one whose life on earth was soon coming to an end. To reflect upon what one has done, whether it was worthy of the Lord and how one has been used by the Lord to save souls, would have been a most encouraging and comforting experience in prison. Furthermore, Paul was in prison because he preached Christ. He remembered the believers in Philippi because he preached Christ! What a wonderful memory to think upon.

What memories might you have of your family, colleagues, friends and service in church when you are near the end of your life?

Before Eternity (Phil 1:6) – Even though Paul would no longer see the believers in Philippi on earth, he knew that he would see them in eternity. Paul was sure of their salvation probably because he witnessed the evidence of salvation in their lives. He comforted them by revealing to them the LORD who saved them, and that the good work that He has done in them would surely perform, i.e. accomplish, it until the day of Christ. Nothing will ever separate Paul and the believers in heaven even though they were separated and never to be reunited again on earth. This brought mutual comfort to both Paul and the Philippian Christians when they read this epistle. Our salvation is in Christ. Nothing can ever separate us from God and therefore nothing can ever separate fellow believers too, not even death. To be able to remember them in light of eternity brings peace to every aching heart. All differences and grievances that might exist are forgiven because of Christ’s love.

Why hold on to animosity on earth when we will be together forever in heaven?

What memories do we have of one another before God as the year 2021 ends? Whatever memories you will have in 2022 depends on how you live in 2022. Let us live well for Christ and impact others for Christ to His glory. Amen.