Epaphroditus

How is the Lord merciful in sustaining life when the next life, the life to come is far superior to this life. If heaven is our true home (which it is) and Christ is more desirable then life (which He is) then how is Jesus merciful in leaving us here and not taking us to be with Him in heaven? What got me started thinking about this is Epaphroditus. Paul says in Philippians 2:27, that the Lord was merciful in sustaining Epaphroditus’s life in the face of illness. How is this merciful? Paul had just said a chapter earlier that to depart and be with Christ is “far better” then being here, but now he says that the Lord was merciful in leaving Epaphroditus here. How can this be?
I think that a couple of things are obvious right away. We know that the Lord’s plan has always been for us to be here for a time. Read John 17 and listen to how many times Jesus prays for us in this world, even asking that we not be removed from this world(17:15). We know that the great commission could not be fulfilled if we were not here. We know that the Church would cease to exist on earth without believers. These are fairly obvious but as I have thought about this verse I have had another thought.
God is merciful in sustaining all life all the time. He didn’t break routine by keeping Epaphroditus alive. The reality of life is that each moment, moment to moment, we are kept by God. Our heart beats at His command. The oxygen fills our lungs as He orders. I do not believe in any natural order of life. Sadly, most Christians are mildly deistic in their thinking. We may pay lip service to sovereignty but in our thinking (and acting) we attribute life to “chance” or “fate.” We like the thought that God can control and intervene but we tend to think most of the time He doesn’t. We think the sun rises by its power and the earth spins in orbit held steadfast by gravity, never attributing the power of God to these things. In our thinking God has made the sun and moon and stars and earth and you and me but then He stepped back having put everything in motion and watches it spin perfectly in order. This is not the picture the bible paints. That is deism, maybe mild deism because it allows God to intervene, but deism none the less.
God is in absolute control of everything. The sun rises each morning at His command. The earth continues to spin in orbit at His command. That is no other power apart from the power of God. He, and He alone, is the only self existent being giving and sustaining life. Our heart beats each moment as He commands our heart to beat, our heart has no natural strength to beat of its own. We can no more cause our heart to beat then we can cause it to stop beating. As our lungs fill with oxygen it is at His command. Life was created by God, it did not just naturally exist, and life is sustained by God, it does not just naturally sustain. All life, moment to moment, is kept by God, all of creation is kept by His continuing power and will, in Him all things consist (Col 1:17).
In His mercy He sustains all life. The purpose of that mercy may be different as Romans 9:22-24 tells us. Sometimes that mercy prepares for glory other times that mercy prepares for destruction but it is His mercy none the less that keeps life alive. So why was the mercy of God pointed out in sustaining the life of Epaphroditus? I think for a very simple reason and one that we can all learn from.
We are all mildly deistic in our natural thinking. We tend to exclude God even after salvation. We are like children born into the lap of luxury, never having to work for a dime. Every desire we have will be met and it will be met by someone else. We have been adopted into the family of God, we have been purchased by the blood of Christ, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:4). We do not have to work for our salvation or earn our way to acceptance with God. This is all good in and of itself. The problem is our sin. We turn blessing into curses. We take the good God gives us and create idols. We are like children born into the lap of luxury only to have that luxury spoil us. We easily forget all that we have and often take it for granted. We become spoiled. But, just as sometimes happens with rich children in this life, we are reminded and taught that life is not just what we please. That we are not in control. Our grip has to be loosened.
Think of Epaphroditus, sick possibly dying. Death has a great way of making us take inventory of our lives. I think that Epaphroditus was a godly man, more concerned with others then himself, an example. He was sick and dying (for Christ sake) and yet still serving the Church. But, even Epaphroditus was a man and therefore sinful. The nearness of the throne of God would have impacted Him, just as it does us. When death seems imminent we live differently, we pray differently, we evangelize differently. We don’t know what happens to Epaphroditus. He is never mentioned again. But I’ve learned something from him.
It could be said at this very moment, as I write, and as you read, that God had mercy on us and sustained our lives. You who know Jesus understand this better then any. You know what God’s mercy is in sending His Son to die for your sins and then to call you to His salvation. You have tasted God’s mercy and live with a remembrance of your own salvation. But have you thought about how God has sustained you today. Your heart is still beating. Your lungs still fill with air. Even when you can offer nothing to God He keeps you not only alive but in His grace and love. Rejoice that today you were given yet another opportunity to live in Jesus and share in His glorious glory. And know, as Epaphroditus knew, you are closer to the throne then you know, live accordingly. Jesus is all there is and He has called you to Himself in love, let that drive you to live for Him.
And you who do not know Jesus, who do not believe in Him and His work, the mercy of God sustains you today also. Your heart beats at His command, your lungs fill at His word. He sustains you and gives you life. But His mercy is not forever. There will come a day that you will have to give an account of how you used His mercy or more how you neglected His mercy. He tells us in His word that His mercy and kindness should lead us to repentance but because of the hardness of our hearts we treasure up His wrath for the day of judgment. In not responding to mercy you reject mercy and scorn the goodness of God. Repent friend and turn to Jesus, that the mercy of God would cover you forever.
I want to wrap this up by saying what I intended to say. God’s mercy in sustaining our lives here and now and not taking us home to be with Jesus is merciful because it more enables us to live by the power of God for the glory of God, when that mercy is rightly understood. I will live differently when I am aware that God is sustaining me so that I can live differently for His glory. Life is not just happening naturally, life is unfolding according to the perfect plan of God for my life to His glory and in His mercy He keeps me here to more fully realize His power and glory. See that you are here and now only by the merciful sustaining hand of Jesus and live in that knowledge.