‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.’ Colossians 1:24-29
How do you use the things of your life to represent Jesus Christ, to reflect His presence in you to the world around you? This passage has resonated with me for a long time, but the past year has really brought it to the forefront of my mind. The point that Paul and/or Timothy is making here is, if you profess to be a follower of Jesus, you have been put in charge of a ministry. Your life is your ministry. Whatever you’re facing, whatever is going on in your life, be it enjoyable or difficult is preparation for what God has prepared for you. That could mean something else that is coming up in your life, or (and I believe is likely more often the case) it’s preparation for you to be an example within your ministry sphere, of Christ to someone else. Jesus will be there for you, where you are, always. Sometimes, He’s asking us to be there for others WHERE THEY ARE, and that might just be a matter of the example we set. Have a blessed weekend.
In full pursuit of the greatest Trophy,
Scott Pace
