IN MY BONDS—PARTAKERS OF MY GRACE
Paul [his name at that time was Saul] was converted at about the age of 29. His first imprisonment—at Philippi—came about 16 years later. There, he was beaten and placed in the stocks. After midnight, the jailer and family received Christ as Savior.
Six years later, at age 52, Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. Justice was very slow, and his life was in jeopardy from the Jews, so he appealed to be tried in Rome. There, he was permitted to stay in his own rented house, though ‘chained’—evidently hobbled and under house arrest. He was there for 2 years before he finally came to trial, was declared innocent and released. It was while he was imprisoned at Rome that he wrote this letter to the believers in Philippi.
In prison, he could have complained, criticized, rebelled. He could have gotten mad at God and ‘thrown in the towel’. He could have gotten irritated at other believers. He could have reckoned that, since he was now so limited, there was nothing he could do. But, he found that with every bond, there was a grace to match, and that grace was surely sufficient—even abundant, and able to be shared.
At Faith Baptist, we have people who have their own set of bonds. It may be chronic sickness, results from accidents, not enough income, weakness from advanced age, family problems, addictions. They find themselves bound, limited. They may sometimes feel like giving in to their situation. They may even get edgy and grouchy, or easily critical. It is good to know there is always a matching grace for every bond. When we faithfully, cheerfully, humbly do all we can for Christ, and we get to the end of ourselves, we will find that His abundant grace will take up where we left off.
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. Philippians 1:7