In the closing paragraph of his let ter Paul finally gets around to ac knowledging the gift from the Philip- HE LEADETH ME! He leadeth me! In pastures green? No, not always, Sometimes He Who knoweth best, in kindness leadeth me In weary ways where heavy shadows be. Out of the sunshine, warm and soft and bright, Out of the sunshine into darkest night. I oft would faint with sorrow and with fright. Only for this, I know He holds my hand. So whether in the green or desert land, I trust although I may not under stand. He leadeth me! By still waters, No, not always so. Ofttimes the heavy tempests 'round me blow And o'er my soul the waves and bil lows go, But when the storms beat loudest and I cry aloud For help, the Master standeth by and whispers to my soul, "Lo, it is I." Above the tempest wild, I hear Him say, "Beyond this darkness lies the per fect day, In every path of thine, I lead the way." So whether on the hilltops high and fair I Dwell, or in the sunless valleys where the shadows lie, What matter, He is there and more than this where'ere The pathway lead, He gives to me no helpless broken reed But His own hands sufficient for my need. So where He leads me I can safely go and in the Blest hereafter I can surely know why In His wisdom He hath led me so.
greatly, that now at length ye have revived your thought for me,” he says, and then hastens to soften the effect of “now at length” by adding, “wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity” (v. 10 ASV). This was, of course, the im mediate occasion of his writing. There is a priestly flavor to the para graph, especially pronounced toward the end. Paul receives their gift, but he treats it, not as a thing in itself, but as a symbol of the manner in which God’s grace enables His chil dren to triumph over circumstances. The maturity of a Christian can be measured by his interpretation of cir cumstances. The light in which he sees them and the construction he places upon them will largely deter mine whether he is to be their victor or their victim. His interpretation must be communicated to others as their mutual contacts afford him the opportunity. The Philippian love of fering afforded Paul such an oppor tunity, for there is a mutuality in giv ing and receiving. In his acceptance of a gift the recipient becomes one with the giver. Paul exemplifies the priesthood of the believer in the way he receives their gift and places it upon the altar of their mutual devo tion to Christ. He could have re ceived it with thanks as an expression of their love and an answer to his own physical need. Many people thus accept kindnesses from their friends and keep the transaction en tirely on the human level. There is a priestly aspect, however, to the min istry of every Christian, and in the exercise of this privilege every cir cumstance yields its gifts Godward. 1. Its Significance (vv. 11-17) Verses 11-17 reveal the sacramen tal significance of their gift both for Paul and for them. The values in volved are so important that we shall do well to consider them carefully from each point of view. (1) For Paul (vv. 11-14). — “Not that I speak in respect of want,” he says. He does not hint for more. The negative stands at the first of the sen
pian church and the ministry which Epaphroditus had rendered in their behalf. “But I rejoice in the Lord
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