"Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus." (2 Timothy 4:20, NIV)
Sometimes you have to do that, you know; leave that, "Trophimus," in your life.
So there you are with, "Trophimus." Now what? Do you stay and keep trying to get him healed, get that situation resolved, fasting more, praying more? Or, as Paul, do you move on?
What is that, "Trophimus," in your life today of which you need to say, "I left...in Miletus," a person, shattered dreams, a prophetic word from so long ago never fulfilled? If you don't leave it, it will follow you all your days, dragging at you, perhaps condemning you, keeping you from operating at your full potential in life. You had so many plans for you and, "Trophimus," so many dreams. But there he/it is, sick, a situation which just will not cooperate with what you want. Now what?
You can do what our Lord Jesus spoke to my heart so many years ago when my, "Trophimus," would not stop being, "sick," and succumbed to that sickness. As I was in what Bunyan called, "the Slough of Despond," Jesus said to me, "You can sit here the rest of your life and pity yourself; or, you can get up and follow Me." Only Jesus and His compassionate Words could get me to, "le[ave] Trophimus sick in Melitus."
48 years have come and gone, and my heart keeps going back to, "Trophimus sick in Miletus." But in my heart is Jesus, He Who keeps, "Trophimus," in His Eternal Care, waiting for me to join him in that great "Meeting In The Air." Maybe it is something else for you. The hymn says, "Tell it to Jesus, He is a Friend that's well known." If Jesus is, "well known" to you, you know what to do. Lay down that, "Trophimus," at Jesus' Feet. Walk out of, "Miletus," and into the sunshine of Jesus' Glorious purposes for your life. "Do You Know Where You're Going To?"
Father, in Jesus' Name, only You can be my Strength to, "le[t] Trophimus...in Miletus." Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
