An Unexpected Answer

This is my Aunt Roberta (on the right, my Uncle Butch is on the left. sweet people).

On Wednesday morning this week, I got into my car and drove over to Starbucks. It was 6:30am and I was on my way to meet with one of my students for a time of discipleship. During these mornings, I tend to wake up about 5:15am in order to have some time with the Lord before the busy day begins. I'm a youth minister, so my Wednesdays tend to be my hardest days of the week. On my way over to Starbucks, I decided to call Brooke (my lovely bride). Since I'm not great with cell phones, (this one is number 6 I've had in the past 12 months), the screen was blank and I was not able to see who I was calling. Well, I just pushed "send," thinking that the last person I talked to was my wife. Little did I know who I was calling....

The phone rang twice and a voice I wasn't expecting answered. It was my Aunt Roberta. Of course, my first reaction was out of embarassment, because it would've been 5:30am her time! I quickly apologized to her. Her sweet voice blessed my soul. My Aunt was up already! In fact, she was up since before 5am, in order to pray with a friend of hers. My Aunt is one of my heroes of the faith. Every morning, she wakes up and makes time with the Lord her first priority of the day. She drinks coffee, reads the Bible, and spends long time in prayer. I LOVE THIS WOMAN. When we talked, she encouraged me. She told me how often she prays for me and prays for my wife, and prays for the ministry I'm blessed to lead. She prays that the Gospel will be proclaimed through my obedience. She prays that the glory of God will shine. She prays. She partakes.

This verse that Paul wrote many years ago reminds me much of my Aunt Roberta. Look at it with me, "For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me." (Philippians 1:7). Paul was believed to be in house arrest when he wrote this powerful letter to the Philippians. His opening to the letter addressed his deep love and appreciation to those that supported him. After reading this verse, I paused and thanked God for my Aunt Roberta. I love the last part of the verse, "in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me." This is my Aunt!

I love this word, "partaker." In the original language, it means a co-participant -- companion. Through her prayers, my aunt is a co-participant with me for declaring the glory of God to the nations. Although we are seperated by a few states, we are partakers together. I'm grateful for her. I'm blessed by her. Do you have any Aunt Robertas' in your life? Do you have any partakers of grace with you? Praise God for His bride; the church. When churches are full of partakers of the Gospel, then neither imprisonments, legislations, change of governments, company policies, religious politics, people pleasing temptations, or any other distraction can rob us of making His excellencies known to all peoples.

I love you Aunt Roberta. Keep running the race for the glory of the King.

Dave