Original Meaning
“DO YOUR BEST” (v. 9) translates the word spoudazo (cf. occurrences of this verb or its related adverbial form in 1:17; 2:15; 4:21; see also Titus 3:12). It conveys a sense of urgency that is here increased by the word “quickly.” This may express Paul’s desire to have Timothy with him as quickly as possible for some specific reason, or it may simply be practical advice to start out before the shipping lanes are closed for the winter (v. 21). Ancient travel had enough hazards; overland was especially difficult in winter, and sea travel was impossible. If Timothy was to follow the usual route going from western Asia Minor, the Aegean Sea, across Macedonia, and then finally crossing the Adriatic Sea (assuming Paul was in Rome), he could meet delays at a number of points on the journey.
The reason given here for Timothy’s coming, however, is that Paul’s companions have been leaving him. His distress will be compounded if Timothy is delayed by a long stopover because of the onset of winter. Demas has deserted Paul because he “loved this world” (the aorist participle simply expresses the cause of his defection, an interesting contrast to the perfect participle of the same verb agapao in verse 8, describing those who “have longed for” the appearing of Christ). Demas made a choice for the present world, an act that may be compared to that of Esau, who sold his birthright for an immediate meal of red stew (Gen. 25:29–34). Thessalonica, where he went, was perhaps his home, but this is uncertain. Demas is mentioned in Colossians 4:14, where he and Luke seemed to be in good fellowship together, and in Philemon 24, where he is mentioned with Luke, Mark, and also Aristarchus (who was from Thessalonica, cf. Acts 20:4). Titus has gone to Dalmatia, probably on a mission for Paul (see comment on Titus 3:12, locating Nicopolis in Dalmatia).
The statement in verse 11, “Only Luke is with me,” conveys some pathos. Some think it also offers a clue concerning the authorship of the Pastoral Letters. Luke’s presence would make it possible for him to function as a secretary writing the Pastoral Letters, possibly being given a good amount of freedom by Paul. This freedom, it is suggested, allowed him to articulate Paul’s thoughts using some of his own writing style and vocabulary in doing so (see the Introduction). The mention of Luke as Paul’s sole companion at this time is not contradicted by verse 21, where others are mentioned who send greetings to Timothy. In verses 9–12 Paul is apparently speaking only of those on his “team,” his coworkers in the work of the gospel, though others are around.
“Get Mark” (v. 11b) implies that he is not at Ephesus and that Timothy should pick him up on his way to join Paul. The reason Paul wants Mark is that “he is helpful to me in my ministry.” The present tense implies that Mark is already associated again with Paul. At some point after Paul’s refusal to have Mark continue with him on his missionary journeys (Acts 15:37–40), a change took place in Mark or in Paul, or perhaps in both, that made it possible for Paul to trust Mark again as an associate in his ministry. The nature of Mark’s ministry is not explained, but the word diakonia used here refers (in addition to the specialized ministry of deacons and its general use to describe servanthood for Christ) to the evangelistic work of Paul and his associates (1 Cor. 3:5; Eph. 3:7; 6:21; Col. 1:7, 23, 25; 4:7).
Tychicus (v. 12) appears at several points as an important associate of Paul (Acts 20:4; Eph. 6:21–22; Col. 4:7–9). Paul has “sent [him] to Ephesus,” the aorist tense either indicating a simple past action, in which case Tychicus is already on his way there, or as an epistolary aorist (cf. Eph. 6:22; Col. 4:8) written from the perspective of Timothy, who will receive the letter after Tychicus has arrived in Ephesus (note that Timothy is probably in Ephesus; cf. 1 Tim. 1:3). In this latter case, Paul may be sending this letter to Timothy by the hand of Tychicus. Another possibility is that Paul has already sent Tychicus on a mission that will end in Ephesus after this letter arrives (carried by someone else). Paul may want Tychicus there to begin preparations to carry on the ministry after Timothy leaves to visit Paul.
The instructions in verse 13 as to what Timothy should bring on that trip have been carefully scrutinized by scholars. Clothing varied in those days, as now, according to climate and season, but also according to status. The robes used by senators and by philosophers were distinctive. Wandering Cynic preachers deliberately abraded their clothing to effect an appearance of poverty.1 The cloak Paul had left at Troas was a common heavy outer garment. We need not assume that Paul has forgotten it; winter is approaching (v. 21) and, even in a relatively warm climate like Rome (if that is where Paul is), prisons could be damp and cold.
We do not know who Carpus is. The word “scrolls” may refer to writings made from papyrus, but the word was also used for writings in a general way. Commentators usually suggest (correctly) that Paul’s scrolls included at least some of the Old Testament writings.2 Given the frequent use that Paul makes of the Old Testament and given his rabbinical training, it would not be surprising if he possessed some of the Old Testament books. “Parchment” was a more expensive material, usually made from sheep or goat skin. It was more durable than papyrus and surpassed it in appearance; it could also be erased.3 We do not know the contents of the parchments that Paul requested.
It is often overlooked that there is no “and” between the word “scrolls” and the word “especially” (malista), so the scrolls and parchments may not refer to different things. Rather, Paul may be saying that the scrolls are the parchments. A highly significant and much-quoted article by T. C. Skeat4 has convincingly demonstrated that in some cases, including this passage, the word following malista, usually translated “especially,” does not refer to separate items but to the items themselves. We may translate malista either “I mean” or “that is.”5 A sound exegetical decision must be made in each case, because the context must determine whether malista is used in this equative sense or not.
It is impossible to tell whether “Alexander the metalworker” is the same person named in 1 Timothy 1:20. Paul does not offer any clear comment to distinguish the two from each other, although the word “metalworker” here could be understood as that kind of distinguishing comment. The further description in verse 14 (where the “great deal of harm” may have been part of the “persecutions” in 3:11) corresponds to the 1 Timothy reference. However, the warning to Timothy to “be on your guard against him” (v. 15) implies that this man is a current threat, whereas 1 Timothy 1:20 implies his excommunication (“handed over to Satan”). It is therefore less likely that this first named Alexander would continue to be a threat. Conceivably he could do a great deal of damage from the outside, especially if he was under some measure of control by Satan. Yet given the unknown space of time between 1 and 2 Timothy, it is possible that he was restored but, sadly, still “strongly opposed [Paul’s] message.”6
What does Paul mean by “my first defense” in verse 16? If Paul was tried and acquitted after the end of Acts and is now for the second time imprisoned and awaiting the disposition of his case, this verse could naturally refer to that previous circumstance. We can easily understand verse 17 that way, with the Lord giving Paul strength so that “the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear”—that is, through Paul’s further missionary travels. The “lion’s mouth” could refer to the Roman emperor. On the other hand, “first defense” may refer to what was called in Roman law the actio prima, the first phase of his present trial.7 In this case we would have to understand verse 17 about the future proclamation of the gospel in another sense than Paul’s going personally to further countries and Gentile audiences.
Clearly the fulfillment of message is in some way through Paul himself and includes the hearing of the gospel by a significant audience of Gentiles. This could conceivably have happened in a preliminary hearing if an assortment of Gentile people were present, but it must be said that it is easier to fit this time of witness into the period between the trial at the conclusion of Acts and the present one. There are various ways to interpret the image of the “lion’s mouth,” so that does not restrict the reference to any particular defense. Whatever the reference, it is hard to understand that no one came to Paul’s support at either trial. Yet he makes a strong point of this—note the emphatic “no one” and the use of the word “deserted” (used earlier of Demas in v. 10). Paul’s “wish-prayer” that “it not be held against them” is a reminder of the words of forgiveness on the lips of Jesus at his crucifixion (Luke 23:34) and of Stephen’s prayer for those who were stoning him as he was dying (Acts 7:60).8
It seems strange that Paul is telling Timothy all this, for especially if this is a reference to his first trial, Timothy would have already known the details. However, in ancient narrative it was not uncommon to have events repeated. This is a mini-narrative that leads up to verse 18, “The Lord will rescue me.” This is the third reference in this section to “the Lord” and may specifically refer to Christ. The Lord’s Prayer contains the petitions “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from [the] evil [one]” (Matt. 6:13). The similarities to 2 Timothy 4:18a, which uses the same verb for “deliver” (rhyomai) and for “evil” (poneros), are obvious. The emphasis on “rescue” is aided by the use of rhyomai in verse 17 (NIV “was delivered”; cf. also 2 Cor. 1:10).
The phrase “every evil attack” (lit., “every evil work”) picks up the reference to what Alexander the metalworker did (see comments on v. 14). It is questionable whether the future sosei should be translated “will bring me safely.” This familiar verb appears seven times in the Pastoral Letters, usually in a reference to one’s salvation, where God rather than Christ is usually the subject. If “the Lord” in this verse is God the Father (as in the Lord’s Prayer), this would be one more instance of attributing salvation to God. The salvation Paul is referring to is “to [or for, NRSV] [God’s] heavenly kingdom.” The word “kingdom” reminds us again of the Lord’s Prayer, “your kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10); the word “heavenly” recalls Ephesians 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12. It is only the second use of “kingdom” in the Pastoral Letters (see 2 Tim. 4:1 and comments). Paul cannot refrain from a brief doxology at this point. The phrase “for ever and ever” is appropriate to his thoughts about the “heavenly kingdom.”
Paul’s final greetings and personal references in verses 19–21 are, in the best sense of the word, sentimental. “Priscilla and Aquila” have meant a great deal to Paul. The order of their names is significant. In 1 Corinthians 16:19 Aquila” is mentioned first, as would be expected. However, Luke does not refer to the church as meeting at his house but at their house. In Romans 16:3 Paul mentions Priscilla’s name first. The couple is also mentioned in Acts 18:2, 18, 19, 26. Verse 2 mentions Aquila’s name first. Then Luke says (v. 18) that after Paul had been in Corinth “for some time,” he traveled to Syria, “accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.” It is as though by that time Priscilla had gained more significant attention than her husband.
It was unusual in those times for a woman to be mentioned before her husband. A rare exception was a reverse order on an occasional gravestone. Knight suggests several reasons for this, including the possibility that Priscilla may have had a higher rank than Aquila or that this was “an expression of Christian courtesy extended to her because she is a woman.”9 However, if the reason was anything like these suggestions, one would expect the order of names to be the same in every text. The best explanation seems to be that she gained more prominence as their ministry continued. For example, in Acts 18:26 Priscilla and Aquila (mentioned in that order) invited Apollos to their home and “explained to him the way of God more adequately.” Any application of 1 Timothy 2:12 should take the Acts passage into account.
The reference to the “household of Onesiphorus” (v. 19b) is a beautiful echo of 1:16–18. This may be a wonderful testimony to the entire household or, poignantly, a sympathetic word to his bereaved family if he had died. The possibility of his death is suggested by the unusual fact that his household is mentioned rather than Onesiphorus himself.
“Erastus” (v. 20) may be the same person mentioned in the same breath as Timothy in Acts 19:22. Romans 16:23 also mentions an Erastus, “who is the city’s director of public works” (the city there, presumably, is Corinth, from where Paul wrote Romans). In that case he would have had considerable stature and, indeed, may be the Erastus mentioned on an inscription at Corinth.10 Paul’s mention of Erastus here in 2 Timothy 4:20 without further description implies that Timothy knows him. The mention of Corinth here does establish a possible link with that city’s director of public works. The problem of this identification, however, is the absence of a link between the Acts passage (where Erastus is in Ephesus) and Romans 16:23. Moreover, the name Erastus was a common one. The identification must, therefore, remain at best a possibility.
“Trophimus” is also mentioned in Acts 20:4 in company with Timothy. He is “from the province of Asia.” In Acts 21:29 he is called “Trophimus the Ephesian.” It may be significant in connection with Paul’s involvement in miraculous acts, including healing (Acts 14:8–10; 28:7–9), that Trophimus was left “sick in Miletus.”
In verse 21 the verb spoudazo occurs (see v. 9 and comments), giving a note of urgency to Timothy’s projected trip to see Paul “before winter” and the closure of the sea lanes. Paul then cites several otherwise unknown people: Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia. Linus has sometimes been linked by speculation with one of the early bishops of Rome, 11 but the name is too common to allow any positive identification. It may also be questioned whether there was such a thing as the rule of a single bishop in the first century. The word translated “brothers” may include sisters. Given the fact that many passages in Paul’s writings referring to “brothers” clearly in their context include sisters, to add “sisters” in translation is legitimate.
“The Lord” is mentioned one final time at the end of this letter. Whether this word refers to God or to Christ, it is in the person of the Holy Spirit that the Lord is present with our spirit (John 14:15–27). The closing greetings are typical of ancient letters, but “grace be with you,” like “grace, mercy and peace” in 1:2, has a distinctly Christian and Pauline meaning.
Bridging Contexts
PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE. Only god knows the number of people who have read the names of Demas, Crescens, Titus, Luke, Mark, Tychicus, Alexander, Priscilla, Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia and have seen in them the faces of those who have affected their own lives for good or ill. This may have taken place, as with Paul, in times of extremity. The pathetic words “no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me” have probably been true of many forgotten saints. But so have the words “but the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength.”
This section, along with closing greetings, is often read hastily at the end of a series of Bible studies on 2 Timothy. Since there is no danger of giving away the “end of the story,” it might not be a bad idea for this section to be read at the beginning of a series of messages on this letter. If indeed all four chapters were written in the circumstances described in the final section, Paul’s thinking (whether it is obvious to us or not) was affected by what was happening to him through the influence of these people. It is not a condescension but realism to let Paul the apostle be Paul the man. The picture of these associates of Paul can be meaningful, therefore, to help us understand both Paul’s circumstances and those of Christians throughout church history.
In Paul’s case, we learn that his immense efforts to “present everyone perfect in Christ” (Col. 1:28) were not always successful. While 2 Timothy describes things at the end of Paul’s ministry (when a corresponding change of circumstances and attitudes can be expected among one’s companions), we can assume that departures, defections, and sickness were common events in his long service to the Lord. After all, Paul had earlier written of the daily “pressure of [his] concern for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28).
Healing. The reference to Trophimus being left “sick in Miletus” raises the issue of healing. If healing can be claimed either as being “in the atonement” or as the assured result of believing prayer, why did Paul not have the theological understanding or mature faith to effect Trophimus’s recovery? While a lengthy treatment of this perennial issue is not possible here, it can be noted that for whatever reasons, Trophimus (and Paul) had to deal with an illness that apparently interfered to some degree with Christian ministry. It is perhaps significant that discussions on the matter are usually subsumed under the topic of healing rather than of sickness. While health is the normal and desired state, Christians often need to grapple with its absence.12
Edwin Hui mentions some of the personal effects of sickness, such as “a sense of physical failure, mortality or despair due to a loss of control over one’s destiny.” There can also be a sense of isolation and “diminished self-esteem.”13 Surely Paul would have sought to alleviate his friend’s sufferings, but perhaps he would also have gently reminded him that God can bring good out of sickness, especially if one seeks the Lord during the distress. The literature and hymnody of Christianity has been wonderfully enriched by those who wrote out of such experiences. Sickness is not to be sought or misused out of a perverted martyr complex, but it can be an opportunity for a closer walk with God that may in God’s goodness benefit others as well.14
Patterns throughout church history. It is difficult to know to what extent we are to draw principles from Paul’s comments on the various people he mentions in this section. As always, we must remember that he wrote under inspiration, and therefore his public citation of faults does not necessarily give us the liberty of commenting negatively on people. Yet there is benefit in recognizing that certain characteristics and behavioral patterns do reappear in the global church in spite of cultural differences. There will always be those who choose the present world to the detriment of personal fidelity, those who are always “on the road” in Christian ministry and leave others to struggle with loss of companionship and help, those who “desert” the Lord’s servants for unexpressed reasons, those who cause great harm to the Lord’s servants and oppose their message, those who offer warm and perhaps sacrificial hospitality to missionaries, those who become sick or are otherwise unable to be active in ministry, and, thank the Lord, those who faithfully stand by Christians in need even if it means being the only ones who do so. We all have our own lists.
While the church—and church historians especially—has focused on public figures, such as pastors, teachers, great leaders, and prominent spokespersons, there are multitudes of others whose stories are likewise important to God and to the progress of Christianity. I think of people who influenced and helped my early ministry: Mrs. Zinke and Mrs. Chan, who prayed for me; the chairman of the deacons and his wife, who always had a word of encouragement (and whose lives were cut short by a drunk driver); my parents, aunts, and uncles; and Dr. J. Oliver Buswell Jr., whose clear Bible exposition made me want to do the same. Every servant of God who reads these words can recall similar people in his or her life. And the name of every leader mentioned in our church history books can be joined by the names of many to whose spiritual encouragement they are indebted.
In the days before pipe organ bellows were powered by electricity, a famous organist once gave a recital. He announced each piece in advance with, “I shall now play….” After the intermission he announced his next number, but when he began to play there was no sound. At that point a face appeared from around the corner of the pipe chamber and a young voice said, “Make that, ‘We shall now play…. '” The boy resumed his pumping of the bellows and the concert went on.
In earlier years I used to hear many missionary reports that left the impression that the missionary labored mainly alone. Rarely did he or she refer to other missionaries or organizations working in the area. Even less frequently did a missionary portray the Christian “natives” who did hard evangelistic work, served the church, or helped the missionary. That picture has changed considerably in recent years. Perhaps the best application of the vignettes Paul draws of his associates is to learn how to share the spotlight with others and how to be a helper to the Lord’s servants. In this way we can evaluate our own behavior and role in ministry.
Contemporary Significance
PRAISE AND BLAME. From the ideals mentioned in the previous section we can move to the specifics of contemporary life. Paul wrote 2 Timothy in the conscious environment of Death Row. If the faces of those named were vivid to him as he wrote Timothy, so also are those of our companions whose successes and failures, fidelity and defection either encourage or plague us to the end of our days. Those who minister for the Lord today do so in the real environment of persons whose comings and goings have permanently affected our life and ministry.
It may not be an executioner but an ex-companion who causes the most pain, and the time may come when a Christian leader must speak frankly about sin and defection among colleagues. Such a step is to be avoided if possible. Restraint is important, and we do not have the same inspiration as Paul did and must be careful about judging motives. Nevertheless, at times others need to know, if only to prevent further harm.
In my own years of ministry since my first charge as interim pastor at Northport Baptist Church in Long Island, New York, while doing graduate study (exactly fifty years ago as I write), I have seen many people overlooked at times when recognition has been given. In contrast there are others who have been wonderfully celebrated—such as a Sunday school teacher whose ministry exceeded fifty years and another whose life was devoted to successive generations of classes. The organ dedication of a Presbyterian church was recently enhanced by a fascinating, detailed recognition of every person who had given time, help, ideas, energy, and wisdom as well as money to the project. Later someone commented on the legendary thoughtfulness of that church in recognizing those who serve behind the scenes.
At the same time, recognition is sometimes given where it is not deserved. Prominent people may be singled out for approbation because of their position. Paul makes no such mistake, but is bluntly honest. Sometimes election to church office is little more than a payback to an influential figure. The same names may appear in church office year after year while spiritual workers behind the scenes go unrecognized with their larger gifts untapped for the church.
Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48). Christians who have been given prominent positions of leadership, seminary positions, and journalistic and other media opportunities have sometimes used their platforms to criticize, severely and publicly, sincere Christians with whom they disagree. Rarely has any such critic been called to account as Paul would have done. In contrast, in a major city several pastors felt the obligation to speak out regarding the elders of a large nearby church who failed to discipline an errant prominent pastor. Contemporary Christians need to be more concerned about the reputation of God than about the reputation of fallible leaders. The response must not be carnal, or damage will be done in reverse, but it must be carried out in the spirit of Galatians 6:1–10.
Facing death. With the graying of America and with increasing openness about death, there is a greater awareness of what it means to face its closeness. Retirees may keep busy, but realize that their productive years are diminished or gone. Grandparents may enjoy their grandchildren and know that they are loved and appreciated by them, but they may also be conscious that they are no longer in the mainstream of action or conversation. Successive wedding anniversaries are celebrated with the unspoken apprehension that this may be the last one together. Genetic and pharmaceutical progress in extending life only prolongs the “final stages.”
In some parts of the world persecution threatens to shorten life. Terrorists, rebels, and oppressive governments all bring Paul’s uncertainty of living forcibly into the lives of many. Those who are near death for whatever reason—even believers, who know the glory that awaits them—are sometimes reluctant to yield to the inevitable. Perhaps it is the sadness that accompanies a feeling of spiritual work unfinished (in contrast to Paul’s “I have finished the race”). Perhaps it is the grief of becoming the bereaver, so to speak, leaving loved ones alone to grieve their departure. Perhaps it is a sense of being overtaken in the prime of life. As one whose academic life has been accompanied by pastoral ministry I know what it is to tell a dying person that it is “all right” to let go. I had to tell that to my own ninety-four-year-old mother.
To say farewell is also a good and thoughtful act on the part of the one facing death. Too many people have been unwilling to deal realistically with the prospect of death. They then lose the opportunity to say that last word of forgiveness or to ask for it. Maybe feelings or secrets that seemed important to hide during life should be revealed if (with emphasis on that word) it would be beneficial to do so. Paul made his feelings clear. He gave Timothy closure on their relationship. He expressed his feelings regarding some people, feelings that for one reason or another were beneficial to acknowledge. At the same time, Paul was not courting death. He had already decided on an earlier occasion that as wonderful as being present with the Lord was, it was more needful for him to remain alive to serve the church (Phil. 1:21–26). The point is that he was ready to die, and that readiness speaks to us.
It is a blessed person who has the love of a warm household like that of Onesiphorus, of a dear friend like Trophimus, the burden of whose illness we share, or of someone we desperately hope will come to us “before winter” (if we may extend the implications of that phrase beyond its immediate reference). We are not alone, especially since, unlike Paul’s day, people are as near as the phone or e-mail. As the winter of our lives approaches, we need these friends to “come,” even if only electronically. I have become aware that friends of long ago, especially some older ones, are getting back in touch with me after years without contact. I am moved by this and am doing my own part in this reunion. Our winter may arrive at a different stage of life than for others, but it is appropriate to seek the presence of friends and to offer them the same blessing.
1. Dibelius/Conzelmann discuss some of the technicalities about the word “cloak,” providing source materials and quotations (Dibelius/Conzelmann, Pastoral Epistles, 123).
2. Knight (Pastoral Epistles, 467) points out the use of the term to refer to specific Old Testament passages, as in Luke 4:17; Gal. 3:10; Heb. 9:19; 10:7.
3. The availability of the ancient Sinaiticus and Vaticanus manuscripts today is due to the parchment codex form in which they were written (see I. A. Sparks, “Parchment,” ISBE, 3:663).
4. T. C. Skeat, “'Especially the Parchments': A Note on 2 Timothy IV.13,” JTS 30 (1979): 173–77.
5. The issue is not particularly important here, but it is important in 1 Tim. 4:10 (“the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe”); 5:8 (“if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family”); 5:17 (“the elders…are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching”); Titus 1:10 (“rebellious people…especially those of the circumcision group”); see comments on those passages. Another sensitive text is Gal. 6:10: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially [malista] to those who belong to the family of believers.”
6. There is one more possibility: The future tense in “the Lord will repay him” may refer to a sentence that has not yet been carried out. That, however, seems less likely.
7. Ellicott, Commentary, 178; Kelly, Pastoral Epistles, 218.
8. Knight (Pastoral Epistles, 468–72) has a detailed discussion of the issues in vv. 16–17.
9. Knight, Pastoral Epistles, 475.
10. The inscription reads: “Erastus in consideration of his aedileship laid this pavement at his own expense”; see J. H. Kent, Corinth VIII\3. The Inscriptions 1926–1950 (Princeton, 1996), 99, quoted in Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 3d ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), 414.
11. Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.3.3.
12. A significant exception is the excellent and practical reference work The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity, Robert Banks and R. Paul Stevens, eds. (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1997), which has articles on “Healing,” “Health,” and “Sickness.”
13. Edwin Hui, “Sickness,” Everyday Christianity, 895.
14. A powerful classic book that records many personal testimonies in this regard is the popular Streams in the Desert, by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, originally published in 1925 and recently rereleased by Zondervan (1997).