There
are people in my life I have not seen in a while. Not by choice, but sometimes
circumstances just keep us away. For the most part I really miss seeing family.
I have missed our last three dirtball weekends (My annual family camping trip
on my mom’s side of the family. This is an awesome weekend where up to 80
people of my family get together to go camping.) I miss seeing my siblings and
parents. I have some joy this weekend with my brother Zach coming in this
weekend from Nebraska. He is driving 10 plus hours here just to hang out for
the entire weekend. I miss my family, but sometimes life just keeps us apart.
Paul
shares about a time life just kept him apart from the Thessalonians. Paul wrote
this in 1 Thessalonians 2:17: But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned
by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out
of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.”
Separation
happens in life. For Paul, he was talking about a group of young followers of
Jesus he got called away from. They were new in their walk with Jesus. After leading them to Christ, Paul had to
move on. But they were never out of his thoughts. He used the term orphaned
here, the Greek word means to be orphaned from. There was a separation but Paul
long to see these young followers of Christ and it pained him that he couldn’t
be there with them.
While
Paul talks about this with young friends in faith, who have you been separated
from for a long time? Who has it been a while since you have seen that you
miss? I miss my family, while I consider where I live my home and I love Terre
Haute. I still miss my family. My siblings and parents, my cousins, aunts and
uncles, it’s not always the same without those we love far away.
Today
who is someone you can connect with that you haven’t talk to in a while? Who
have you been missing in your life? Try to make that connection today.
Have
a great day.
