Week 31—Tuesday Philippians 4:10-13
Week 31—TUESDAY
“EXCEPT THESE CHAINS”
Perhaps the most beautiful and touching illustration of this word of victory become flesh is the scene of Paul before King Agrippa and “the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city.” Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time you think to make me a Christian!” And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become as I am—except for these chains” (Acts 26:28-29). Here was a lone prisoner, deserted by his own people, on his way to be tried before a foreign tribunal, the emperor at Rome, and yet standing there as master of circumstances and men and wanting nothing more than that those who heard him should be as he was! No self-pity, no envy of those around him—he stood there the epitome of everything good he could think of. He stood there the Word of life—satisfaction become flesh. And the people who heard him didn’t laugh—they knew instinctively that he had everything and they had nothing—nothing in comparison.
And then the gentle courtesy, “except for these chains.” These chains are your gift, I want you to have everything about me except the thing you gave me—chains. It was a gentle courtesy and yet a gentle thrust. He revealed what he was and what they were in one gentle sentence. He stands there as the incarnate revelation of free and victorious manhood—free and victorious in spite of!
The leading Communist of India came to our Ashram in India at Sat Tal and he told a friend afterwards, “The thing that struck me about these Christians was that they expected to get me.” We do—we expect to get everybody as Paul did—“that not only you but also all who hear me might be as I am.” That is the Christian—so satisfied in God, so altogether happy, so altogether grateful, and wants everybody to be this way too! A Christian is not at the Goal, but is on the Way! And knows that this is the Way!
Dear Redeemer, you are redeeming me from all self-pity, all envy of others, all wanting of this, that, and the other. I have you and having you I have Everything. Why should I long for the things of life when I have Life? The stream when I have the Source? I thank you. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Can I say to everyone today, “I want you to be as I am, except possibly this marginal thing”?