Last night we had devotions together, as we have often done, in the hospital room. I’ll just open the window and let you look in for a glimpse at a brief synopsis. I quoted Philippians 1:3-6. Let me quote it here. "I thank 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; being confident of this: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ" (emphasis mine).
The core attitude is one of thanksgiving to God. The core sentiment in prayer is joy. The core reason for the gratitude (in at least the instance of Paul and the Philippians) and joyful prayer is partnership in a higher cause (the good news)- something greater than mere partnership for partnership’s sake. It is thankfulness for a partnership that is not self centered, but good news centered. It is a partnership that is based upon seeking God’s kingdom and the best he has to bring into this world, not the best we can get out of this world. That is a partnership that is free from selfishness or personal self advancement.
I told our son that ours has been that kind of partnership for which I am thankful every time I think of him. As Paul was filled with thankfulness to God which drove him to joyful prayer for the Philippians at just the thought of them, so it is with me (and of course Marlene) and Mitch (and of course Chelsea). It is that kind of partnership that I have seen in him that has elicited the embodiment of joy in my prayer for him. What a thrill to see someone striving for God’s best and the advancement of his kingdom above everything else in life. His desire through his illness is that more people would come to believe in the one who is the center of and has brought rich meaning to his life. His desire is that others might join this partnership and discover their high calling in Christ. His desire is that others would live in such a way that would bless still others around them. His desire is to see the curse reversed in the lives of people. He has lived that way- weeping over lost young people and going the second and third mile with people upon whom others have given up long ago, befriending people in the love of Christ that have never been truly loved by people in this world. I love partnering with people like him.
But, the end of that passage speaks of the confidence that "he who began a good work would carry it on to completion until the day of Christ." I spoke of how God is still carrying on a ministry through him. He will complete it. He will continue to impact others, because Mitch has lived and continues to live a sacrificial life that wants to see God glorified. And, God is and will be continually glorified through him. "Thanks pardner."