As I was studying this passage to gain deeper meaning, I reflected on a moment in time in my own life when I heard and obeyed the spirit of our Lord. I was delivering groceries to our local food bank one morning and saw a young woman pull up in a car that was old and dented. The tires were well worn, and she had a baby in the back seat. I had an overwhelming impulse to give her money. I looked in my purse and found a twenty-dollar bill. I walked up to the woman and handed her the money. She took it and started to cry. She said, “Thank you so much. My gas tank was almost empty, and I just stopped in to get some food for my child. I didn’t have enough gas to get to work this week and I prayed for God to help me. This twenty dollars will buy me enough gas to get to work this week and until I get paid again.” We were both blessed that day.

Paul was incarcerated in a prison in Rome when he wrote this letter to the Philippians. Prisoners were responsible for maintaining themselves including meals and clothing. Paul neither asked for aid nor did he expect any help from the churches he had planted. He simply prayed and trusted God to provide for him.

God spoke to the hearts of the people of Philippi to send aid to Paul. They were obedient.

Paul was not rejoicing because his needs were met but because he knew the Christians giving to him would be blessed of God for their obedience.

Listening to the spirit within us and obeying without hesitation leads us to blessings we cannot imagine.

God chooses those we are to serve and assist in the ways he directs us to. We need only obey His instruction.

I think that whenever we hear or sense that gentle prodding by the Holy Spirit, we need to be obedient. God will bless the giver and the recipient.