We'd love to receive your on this article!

I’d wager that you’ve never heard a message on this portion of the Bible ….

being just 8 words …..

But Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick … 2 Timothy 4:20

What is this I read ?

The Apostle Paul left Trophimus … a brother in the Lord presumably, perhaps even a fellow companion ... behind … at another city … and sick at that !

What is going on Paul ? Why would you, Paul, do this ?

Paul of all people, doing this ... leaving him behind ... sick.

Paul, of whom it is plainly recorded, that 10 years previously … God wrought special miracles by his hands, so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them ! Acts 19 : 11, 12

What’s the matter with you Paul, one would obviously question ?

Had Paul lost his anointing, his gift of performing special miracles ?

I think not.

And then there’s Timothy … and Paul’s advice to him …..

to drink water no longer, but use a little wine for your stomachs sake, and YOUR OFTEN INFIRMITIES ! 1 Timothy 5:23

Again ….. what’s the matter with Paul, giving natural advice to his ‘spiritual son’?

And why was Timothy sick so often ?

What has happened to Paul’s ability to achieve special miracles, and deliverances?

As for Paul himself (quoting Scofield) …. the Apostle was, it appears from many considerations, afflicted with ophthalmia, a common disease in the East, to the point of total blindness Galatians 4:13-15 His ‘thorn in the flesh’ is well known, for which he besought God 3 times to be removed (his prayers in this instance were unanswered indeed !) to which Paul responds … and He (God) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities (WOW !) in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

So even Paul had his infirmities to deal with …. but what an attitude !!

Pleasure in infirmities, indeed ?

And this straight leads on to the eternal question ….

Why doesn’t God heal EVERYONE ?

Why does he only heal some ? Why does he seem to play favourites?

Why, WHY, W H Y ? we wonder and ponder ?

And the best most sensible and spiritual answer I have heard, is that …

GOD IS SOVEREIGN … which simply means that He does what He likes, to whoever He likes, whenever He likes (without having to ask ours or anyone’s permission to do so)

With some, He divinely heals, for sure, demonstrating his power and grace ….

with others, there are the benefits He sees in the moulding of our character, and the learning of patience, endurance, long-suffering, stamina, etc etc

Unfortunately long-suffering only comes from suffering long !!

2 Corinthians 6:6 Galatians 5:22 Ephesians 4:2 Collosians 1:11 etc

And patience comes from tribulation Romans 5:3 as many will testify – is there any other way ?

So, Paul was either guided to, or saw wisdom in leaving Trophimus behind sick.

And also in the natural advice he gave to Timothy … illustrating to me that there is a time and place for sanctified common sense, and natural healing, as well as for divine healing. (Someone wisely observed that there is something equal to divine healing, and that is ……… divine health !)

Bodily exercise does profit (benefit), a little 1 Timothy 4:8

As does self- discipline, moderation, the balanced viewpoint and the timely advice of a spouse. Oh for the wisdom of balance and in our perception and attitude and advice to ourselves and to others.

My wife experienced an instance of divine healing from a serious lifetime problem that she had had from child-hood … but for myself, I owe my still being alive today to the skill of brain surgeons and the art of micro-surgery along with computer technology ! There’s occasions for both, I would suggest.

May God’s will still continue to be done … on earth as it is in Heaven (sound familiar ?)

Which leads me on to another allied topic … where practical help, visiting the sick, and such like, what are often called ‘good works’, and where they begin and end !

Bob Gass observed that ‘fellowship’ was rather like 2 fellows in a small ship or boat - what each one did, when he moved, could drastically upset the balance of the ship and the other fellow passenger. Get the picture ?

Derek Prince noted that in the New Testament, rather than being termed ‘Christians’ or even ‘believers’, the term BROTHERS or BRETHREN was repeatedly used.

This of course signifies being members of ONE FAMILY - the Family of God.

But with a small group, there are physical limitations on just how much practical help can be given to each other. Then there is GEOGRAPHY, the distance between the homes of the members of the group. Israel in Jesus time, most of the Bible named villages were within easy walking distance of each other. Ideally of course, members of small groups should be close by, but in this age with urban living and the distances involved, that’s usually not so, even with modern day forms of transport.

To me, fellowship is mainly on a spiritual level – 1 Corinthians 12:26 for example.

Sharing around the Word and a meal, praying, supporting, building up one another – ‘edifying’ each other spiritually as family members is the key element to me – then practical help and visitation as is physically possible and beneficial / warranted.

For our particular group, as somewhat battered, bashed and bruised REFUGEES from the Present Religious System (and its Leaders ! ) we have a common experience to share and recover and learn from - and of course, to move on from.

But … we cannot be GOD to another person in that group … only Brethren !

NO AMOUNT OF FELLOWSHIP OR SUPPORT CAN REPLACE ANOTHER PERSONS LACK OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD and being personally led by HIS HOLY SPIRIT !

WE CANNOT GET FROM OTHERS WHAT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE to us !

(as I personally have had to well learn ! )

And this indeed is the criticism that I have of many assemblies – that people can become to depend too much on meetings and ‘fellowship’ so called, and camaraderie at the expense of their own personal seeking of God, and getting personal guidance from reading the Bible, and walking in the Spirit.

Again of course, as in all things, there is a balance !

For me, what I basically ask of ‘fellowship’ is simply this …

TO KNOW AND TO BE KNOWN … AFTER THE SPIRIT

For me, to ‘touch’ as it were, and appreciate other people’s Spirit

For them to recognise and appreciate my Spirit, my hearts desire, my motivation, and what makes me tick, what makes me get up in the mornings.

To me, everything else is a bonus ! Repeat - everything else is a BONUS !

We are all PILGRIMS on a journey, just a passing through this life, each with our own Master to serve, each with our own talents and giftings, each making our own mistakes, falling and rising up again, pressing on and on …. until He comes for us, or we go to HIM.

My Sheep hear my voice …. and they follow me said Jesus John 10:27

And then there’s the topic of us all being different parts of the body

1 Corinthians 12 and our differing and unique talents and giftings,

none quite the same ... BUT EQUAL, and of equal value in Gods sight I’m sure

(but more on this another time and place perchance)

And I am reminded again of the old saying, (but seldom heard these days)

WHEN WE’RE UP ……. WE’RE UP

WHEN WE’RE DOWN …… WE’RE DOWN

BUT WHEN WE’RE ONLY HALF - WAY UP

WE’RE NEITHER UP NOR DOWN

And so it often is with all of us ……. !

We most all ‘walk with a limp’ as Jacob did

Some verses of a song keep coming to mind, about prayer ……….

Have you no words ? ah think again

Words flow apace when you complain

And fill our fellow – traveler’s ear

With the sad tale of all our care

Were half the breath thus vainly spent

To heaven in supplication spent

Our cheerful song would oftener be

“Hear what the Lord has done for me !”

Redemption Songs No 600