“I thank my God every time I remember you. 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”
The Apostle Paul
Letter to the Church at Philippi
(Philippians 1:2-5)
I always thought Paul was just being nice when he put stuff like this in his letter to the churches. You know, like “thanks so much”, “couldn’t have done it without you”, or “thanks for your prayers”. It is just something you put in a nice letter to people you like. It shows that Paul was a polite guy who’s mother raised him right. Because everyone knows that that is the kind of stuff you put in a nice letter. Even companies today know to do this. I just got a letter from the cable company telling me how great I am and how much they value me. Now, I have not yet to my knowledge met, much less become close friends with anyone who works for Comcast, so it is just uncanny that they already know how wonderful I am. Maybe it is because they don’t know me J.
That is exactly what I thought Paul was doing. He was being just like the cable company, saying some nice stuff to some people he probably didn’t know that well but who are probably nice people and Paul was just polite. The problem is, that is not exactly true—any of it.
First, Paul did know them. These were people who he had worked along side to build the church in Philippi, and to build it amidst opposition, from both the Jews and Romans. They built it together “from the first day until now”. Do you have any friends like that? Friends who have been with you from the beginning when it was fun and easy, all the way through the tough times, until the present day? If you do then the faces that pop into your mind bring a smile to your face. But there are probably other faces too, faces that did not stay. If you have these faces, then you know how bittersweet this verse is, because the people who stay are rare.
Second, Paul was not a polite guy, just for the sake of politeness. Put away the stones and don’t think me a heretic. Paul was not a “churchy nice guy”. This is the guy who opposed Peter “to his face” (Galatians 2:11) and opened other letters by telling the church how disappointed he was in them that they were deserting the gospel and telling them that anyone who was preaching a false gospel was eternally condemned (Galatians 1:6-8). The point is Paul was not nice for the sake of niceness. He didn’t say something unless he meant it.
And for the first time in my life, I understand him. I understand him because I am truly thankful for all of you who have prayed for and supported us from the beginning. Last night was our benefit dinner that our parents held for our family to help raise support for Ubang and Chad to come home. And I am humbled and awed at the outpouring and support of friends and family and in some cases people we have just met and some we don’t even know. But now you are partners. You are partners in this awesome ministry to two precious orphans to make them son and daughter again.
I want to tell you that we are thanking God for you in our prayers. I pray that you might know this side of heaven how awesome it is that you are all a part of Ubang and Chad and helping us become their Forever Family.
Last night I loved it when Chad laughed on the video and it wasn’t long before everyone was laughing just to hear her as she was on the swing set with her brother. It was awesome to hear when Rick (Papa to our kids) shared how someone changed his life by changing him from orphan to son. To hear Bobby Jack (or Pappy as he is known here) pray for us and his new grandkids. It was awesome to see the prayers hanging on the tree as people put their hearts on paper and shared them with us.
I opened this blog with a prayer and I would like to close it the same way. The prayer I want to share with you didn’t come from an apostle. Not a pastor, or a professional clergy person, but the heart of faith we are called to have.
Dear God,
Please let Ubang and Chad have a great home. Please let the angels watch over them day and night.
Love Nolan Goodman (age, 8)
(Included in his prayer were two of his silly bands, a hippo and giraffe, as a gift to Ubang and Chad)
