Philippians 1:8 - The longing

"For my witness [is] God, how I am longing for all of you in [the] bowels of Christ Jesus." 

-Because these Philippians are in Paul’s heart, he describes himself as actually longing (to yearn upon) for them.  Paul was similarly longing to see the believers in Rome (Romans 1.11) and Thessalonica (1Thessalonians 3.6), as well as Timothy (2Timothy 1.4).  Believers have a similar longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling (2Corinthians 5.2) as well as for the pure milk of God’s Word (1Peter 2.2) - or at least we should.  Naturally we do long for the people and things which gain a foothold in our hearts.  Paul had never even been to Rome, yet he had a longing to see those believers.  But these ones in Philippi had a big place in Paul’s heart because they had shared much together with him, and as such they were a great source of joy and gratitude for him.  This depth of joy and love and devotion and oneness and koinonia in relationships between Christ-followers is in fact produced by the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Philippians 2.1; cf Acts 2.42-46, Acts 4.32, John 17.23, Colossians 3.14 - remember that the fruit of the Spirit is love and joy - Galatians 5.22).  The Spirit produces this oneness and affection naturally as believers do life and minister and worship together - such that it needs to be guarded (1Corinthians 1.9-10, Ephesians 4.3) perhaps even more than it needs to be fostered.

-Paul colors in his longing by describing it as ‘the bowels of Christ Jesus’.  The word is splagchnon.  It is used literally in Acts 1.18, and is variously translated metaphorically as affection or heart, but it is not the heart exactly, which is kardia.  But this refers to the seat of our emotions and desires, our inmost part, and it is with all the feeling that Christ has for His people that Paul longs for these believers in Philippi.  He so wants to be with them.  A scarce reality, this.  I get so focused and busy with taking care of my own stuff, my family, my yard, my career, my vacations and pastimes - there is scarcely any time left outside of a quick dip on Sunday morning to even spend time with other believers, much less begin to do the kind of life with them that would begin to entrench them in my inmost part.  Would that we might experience such a depth of sharing with a community of God's people that we would get a taste of what these believers enjoyed.  And believe me, once you get a good draught of sharing in community, nothing less will satisfy, and you will know the longing...