In This Together

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading titled In This Together was written by Tim Gustafson. Kelly was battling brain cancer when the COVID-19 crisis hit. Then, fluid developed around her heart and lungs, and she had to be hospitalized again. Her family couldn't visit because of the pandemic. Her husband Dave vowed to do something. Gathering loved ones together, Dave asked them to make large signs with messages. They did. Wearing masks, 20 people stood on the street outside the hospital holding signs, Best Mom, Love You, We Are With You. With the help of a nurse, Kelly made her way to a fourth-floor window. All we could see was a face mask and a waving hand her husband posted on social media.

But it was a beautiful face mask and waving hand. Late in his life, the Apostle Paul felt alone as he languished in a Roman prison. He wrote to Timothy, Do your best to get here before winter. Yet Paul wasn't totally alone. The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, he said. And it's also apparent that he had some encouraging contact with other believers. Eubulus greets you, he said to Timothy, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

We're created for community, and we feel that most keenly when we're in crisis. What might you do for someone who may feel entirely alone today? Our scripture reading today is from 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 9 through 22. Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Cretans has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas and my scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.

You too should be on your guard against him because he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them, but the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it, and I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever.

Amen. Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all. Let's pray. Dear Father, thank you for the comfort you give us through your spirit and for the community of believers you surround us with. Help us to be alert to the needs of others who are feeling lonely and reach out to them and be a friend as they need. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. I'm Stephen, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.