“For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:8) NKJV.

One of the difficult things about the ministry of the Lord Jesus is the deep longings for the people with whom we serve. Paul spoke of the way he “longed” for the people at Philippi. The word he selected depicts a tremendous desire that caused him to think of the folks often. He greatly desired the very best for them because God had given him a deep love for them. No one had ever cared for Carl the way folks cared for him in the local church. He had no family, no real friends, and no one who thought much of him. Then he started attending the Bible-believing church in his neighborhood. He couldn’t believe how welcomed he felt and how loved and wanted he was now. What a great reminder for us. No matter how busy we get, we must never lose sight of why the Lord has left us here. There are people who need us!

For today: Ask the Lord to put two or three people on your heart that need to know that they are special to the Lord and to you as well.