Joy

After writing yesterday’s entry it made me think about what I learned the other day in a sermon from Rick Renner about Paul when he wrote Philippians.  It really brings more meaning to verse 4:4 and the epistle as a whole.  

While writing Philippians Paul was incarcerated in the Mamertine prison.  This was one of the worst Roman prisons, the other being the island of Patmos where John was exiled.  This particular prison was a cistern for Caesar Nero’s imperial palace. It would collect all the water and sewage that ran through the palace until it reached a specific level and then it would flow into the Tiber river.  Paul was chained to the wall with his hands above his head.  He would hear rats eating the floating sewage and also human flesh of the people that were also chained to the walls.  Many people died from lack of food or from the rats as they tore at their flesh.  It was a place filled with death. Because Paul was a Roman citizen by law he had the right to receive a meal once a day and mail once a month.  He was also allowed to write a letter once a month.  From this dark hole is where he wrote Philippians.

Paul, in the midst of his dire circumstances witnessed to the guards that came in, he witnessed to his fellow prisoners, and he wrote letters to encourage others outside his walls.  Paul used every opportunity to talk about Christ.  Paul mentions joy 19 times in this epistle and while it’s hard to see joy in Paul’s circumstances.  We, as christians, know that this isn’t all there is.  Our lives on earth are just a mist that is here and gone.  Every second is a gift.  How well are we using the gifts we are being given?