Imagine being a member of a church in a country far from the center of Christian activity and you receive a letter from a famous missionary—say, to Asia. You couldn’t have been expecting this. He has been repeatedly touring Asia, planting churches, evangelizing, watch God do miracles. All of this affirms his calling by God. And he is coming to visit you!?
In his letter, after a brief introduction, wondering if you may have heard of him, he begins to share what he has heard about you, how dedicated you are to the Gospel, how faithful to God and how hungry for the Word to learn and live it. He mentioned that he has been working hard for the Lord through Asia and has been wanting for some time to visit you but was unable to get away. But now he needs a time of spiritual refreshment and renewal among the saints of God and he thought of you. He is coming to see you only for the fellowship. His ministry in Asia is complete—not because there is no more to do there, but he knows time is short and he wants to evangelize Spain.
He is coming to share his heart with you, his desire for all the nations, to know what a salvation by grace through faith means. He knows that you will keep him in your prayers and that thereby you will have a share in his burden for the nations [verse 30].
What does this tell you about him? What does this say about you?
