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"The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus."
(2 Timothy 1:16-17)
I received a call from a pastor friend last week. I have been praying for him and his family about a matter that has caused some pain and difficulty for them. We had only texted to this point, but on this day, he called me to ask me specifically to pray for him as he and his family were attempting to find a resolution to the problem at hand. I prayed with my pastor friend on the phone, and then he said something that kind of startled me. He said, "Thank you for being a pastor to pastors."
Pastors need pastors too. They (we) need those people in our lives who will support and care for us when the problems and challenges of life invade our souls, as they do for every other person in the world. Pastors have their fair share of problems and maybe even more than others. Why is that? Well, they too are human beings and have a large target on their backs, as the enemy of our souls seeks to destroy the shepherd and scatter the sheep. I believe Satan devises his most crafty plans to strike pastors down. When pastors fall or quit the ministry, many are harmed in the collateral damage, but most of all the name of Christ is hurt, which is the Devil's ploy all along.
The Apostle Paul had wonderful friends. One of them no doubt was a man named Onesiphorus. In our biblical text for today and tomorrow's devotions, we will read of five specific ways he ministered to Paul. He was a pastor to Pastor Paul at a time when Paul needed it the most. Paul was at the end of his life here, and God refreshed him through the ministry of Onesiphorus.
The Greek word translated "refreshed" means to breathe or to make cool. This is what Paul's friend Onesiphorus did for the aged apostle. He refreshed him; his presence was like a breath of fresh air or like a cool breeze on a hot and humid day. Onesiphorus did this in several ways, but I think primarily he refreshed Paul by simply showing up. Paul said that his friend was not ashamed of his chain. Paul was in prison, and Onesiphorus did not mind being seen with a condemned Roman criminal. (Of course, Paul's crime was preaching Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.)
Are you a pastor reading this today? Many of you are, and so I ask you, do you have friends like this? ...people who do not drain you, but put life back into you? If you do, thank the Lord for them now. If you do not have a friend who will help shepherd your heart, pray for God to send you some Onesiphoruses.
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