It Took my Breath Away!

2 Timothy 1-Part 10 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.  2 Timothy 1:17


LET IT GLOW

After two weeks of dust blowing and ragweed's pollen scattering, it finally rained. I opened my front door that morning and took a deep breath. I could smell the rain. How refreshing it was! The air was clean and cool once again. Another deep breath-the freshness, it took my breath away! I listened to water dripping off the corner of the house. How relaxing it was! The wind was blowing, not pollen and dust this time, but sweetness surrounding me. I wanted to sit on the porch swing, but I knew I'd get wet, so I went back into the house, smiling and giving thanks for the rain. Isn't the Holy Spirit like that? He comes and cleanses my heart, refreshes me, cools off my disposition, surrounds me with His sweet presence, softens my attitudes. Thank You Lord for another day to live in Your presence. Thank You for life and breath, and most of all, Your Holy Spirit. His wonderful presence takes my breath away.

Verse 16 says: The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.

Paul wanted a special blessing for a special friend and his family because Onesiphorus visited and encouraged Paul in his time of need. He was "a breath of fresh air" Paul indicated as he used the word refreshed.
Refreshed means to refresh one's spirit, by fellowship, consolation, kindnesses, to recover breath, take the air, cool off, receive, refresh one's self.

Did you catch that little word "oft" which Paul used? It is the word we use for "often." He often visited and often refreshed, encouraged Paul. It wasn't just a one time occurance, was it?

How often I need refreshing! Can others say that I refresh them? Do I encourage them more than once?


LET IT GROW

We don't know much about the special friend of Paul's, Onesiphorus. He may have been a deacon in the Ephesian church where Paul pastored three years. This is concluded from verse 18 where Paul says that Onesiphorus ministered to him at Ephesus.

Thayer's Lexicon says ministered means to attend to, anything that may serve another's interests. Paul was saying, "How many things I owe to his ministration."

Another thing Onesiphorus did for Paul was he diligently sought Paul out and found him. Whether it was a business trip that took Osesiphorus to Rome or just a special trip with the intentions of meeting Paul's needs, scripture doesn't say. At any rate, It was a special effort made on his part. In fact, it must have been difficult for Onesiphorus to find Paul since he diligently sought Paul; diligently means active, zealous, earnest; sought means to seek in order to find.

"His search involved time, effort, and possibly even danger," states MacArthur Bible Commentary.

Ezekiel 34:11 says: For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

I am so thankful that the Lord sought me. I was His lost sheep and then He found me and saved me. Dear friend, He is still seeking us to draw us near Him. He is diligently seeking. How will I react when He finds me?

Psalm 53:2 says God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

The question is, "Am I seeking Him?"

A good man will seek opportunities of doing good.

Oviously, Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Paul's chains. It would have been a disgrace to be in prison in the world's view. However, Paul was inprisoned because of his preaching Jesus. Paul had other friends, Luke, Mark, and Timothy who were not afraid to risk their lives to give Paul aid in person.

To sum up these last three verses in chapter 1, Paul says to be a loyal servant like Onesiphorus, not like Phygellus and Hermogenes, who turned away from him.

What kind of friend and servant am I?


LET IT GO

Diligently seek the Lord.

Often refresh others.