Comfort #2—Ministry Comfort

I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Philemon 1:7

The comfort of love rests on the evidence of service. Love is comforting only if we know it is real. In an age when we hear the word “love” bandied about glibly, only evidence makes us certain, and only certainty gives us comfort. We are comforted in God’s love because his love moved him to send his Son to show us how to live by faith and to die on our behalf. Jesus is certain of our love for him when we obey his commandments. Paul was comforted by Philemon’s love because Philemon worked on behalf of the Body of Christ. We can be comforted as we perceive love in the name of Christ. The comfort of love grows from the context of its expression. If Paul had seen Philemon care for the business needs of other merchants, he would have appreciated it, but not felt particularly comforted by it. Jesus taught that those who are members of his kingdom demonstrate their love for him by caring for people who were related to him—even the least of them. Paul believed this. Therefore he drew comfort from Philemon’s love for other Christians, for Paul knew that such love grew out of Philemon’s confidence in Christ, whom Paul also loved. We too can be confident of comfort in our ministries because of the love we see  others expressing as they serve the Body of Christ.

Two requests, O Lord: give me friends like Philemon to comfort me with their proven love; and enable me to love the saints so genuinely, that my friends are comforted by my love.