With You All The Time

Acts 20:18, 20, 31

And when they came to him, he said to them, You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, 

How I did not withhold any of those things that are profitable by not declaring them to you and by not teaching you publicly and from house to house, 

Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease admonishing each one with tears.

The sincerity and genuineness of Paul was proven when he spoke his "farewell" speech to the elders of Ephesus in Miletus. His heart's content and desires were expressed in those loving words of exhortation mingled with life testimonies. No wonder, the hearts of the brothers were sorrowful when they knew it would be their last meeting ever as man with men. He had the ground and confidence to speak boldly how he shepherded the saints from house to house, right from the first day he set his foot in Asia; he visited the saints one by one, house to house, and was with them through thick and thin. What a testimony! A real pattern of shepherding and caring for the saints in the churches.

My lack in my service was fully exposed as I read and pondered these verses. Paul could declare that he was "with you(the saints) all the time." How about me? An enigma? Nevertheless, I was so encouraged by this solemn and sober words of Paul, "with you all the time." To whom can I say the same, to any saint(s) or any church(es)? May the Lord cover me and grace me that I may as well be able to live like Paul did, shepherding the saints one on one, day by day, house to house and testify one day that I too am indeed "with you all the time."

Moreover, he did not withhold any truths that would be beneficial to the saints. He taught them the healthy teaching of the ministry of the word, house to house as nursing mother nourishing her spiritual babes day by day. And he admonished them day and night even with tears. What a heart he had for the saints! Besides teaching, he was admonishing them even with tears. This reveals his deep desire for the saints growth and maturity that when words did not suffice, he wept for them out of burden; a deepest expression of one's concern for the truly beloved. And he did it faithfully, for three long years! What a shepherding heart he had! Perhaps, some did not listen to his admonishing, some would have rebelled, some would have been stubborn and slow to respond. Yet, even to those, his shepherding reaction was just to weep for them. If words did not suffice, he wept and prayed for them. What a man, what a pattern, what a shepherd!

Listening to these verses as expounded by a brother in a way of testimony touched my being so deeply. On the one hand it exposed me of my lack, and yet on the other hand, it encouraged me to reconsecrate myself to the Lord for the shepherding of the saints. I do not even have sufficient words to express the depth of the burden infused into me after this hearing of the word. I just pray that the Lord give me such a heart, such a burden, to care for the saints as He would and as Paul did. 

Lord, burden me with Your burden and grace me to shepherd Your flock, and intercede for them, even with tears.