Quiet Time files - 041308

I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men.
1 Cor 16:17-18 (ESV)

At the end of many of Paul's epistles is a section of personal greetings, chock full of difficult to pronounce names and last minute instructions. They are easy to skip over; after all, the body of the book is full of the meat of the teaching, and it's not as if Fortunatus or any of his pals are still around to say hello to.

Yet every so often, a portion of those greetings can really hit home. In the verses above, found at the end of Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, he says that these three particular men "refreshed his spirit". I don't know about you, but I've always viewed Paul as the strongest of the strong, absolutely sure in his faith, committed to his mission and ready to conquer all obstacles to be of service to the Lord. He is so matter of fact about his sufferings, it's easy to think he just breezed through everything with his eyes on the prize, never getting discouraged, never needing relief.

But here, he takes the time to thank three specific men for refreshing his spirit.

Do you know anyone who refreshes your spirit? These are the friends who, when you leave them, have left you feeling better than when you met them, even though none of your problems have gone away. They provide an oasis of relief in the midst of frenzy, a listening ear, a helping hand. Renewed confidence and increased hope are the results of their ministry. Rather than playing pollyanna and trying to find the good in every situation, they remind us of the goodness and sovereignty of God, encouraging us to look beyond the present circumstance.

Father, help me to become a refresher of spirits. Let me renew and encourage those around me, provide the respite they need.

In Jesus' name, Amen