July 12th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Colossians 1:1–14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Reflection
Do you realize it? Do you realize, or better yet, are you aware of your calling? As Children of God, we are each and we are all called by God. We are called to a purpose God has set for us. We are given gifts to fulfill that call. Some are called as with a profession. Other's are called into daily actions in the world God has placed them. One way or another, we are all called by God. Paul is aware of his calling as an apostle of Christ. In some form we are all sent to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to the world we are set in in this time and in this space.

Oh the joy of this calling as we go to those that God gives to us and as we learn from one another and encourage each other in our unique calling. Paul reaches out to the saints. That's you and me. We are set apart by God for our calling. In this individual calling we are also gathered as the Church of God and work hand-in-hand with one another and with God to bring the gospel to all the world.

So in our encouragement of ministry together and individually, we give thanks to God for all of the blessings that have been showered upon us. We give thanks for one another and for our unity in Christ. We recognize God's work in our lives and the fruits which are produced by faith in God. We point out how God has come to each and to all of us and made something happen out of sinful people. God comes to us and produces fruit in us that we could never produce on our own or with our own efforts.

And we pray for one another. We pray and recognize God's power that has taken us from the kingdom of evil, to the kingdom of light in Christ Jesus. We pray to God with thankful hearts. Yes, in everything, we pray and ask God with thankful hearts and make our requests made know to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guards our hearts and minds in Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Yes, it's all through Jesus that we are forgiven and saved, called and gifted, empowered and sent to bear the fruits of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I give you thanks for brothers and sisters in Christ. I am joyful for my bond with you and with the fellowship of Christians. I am delighted with my call and place in your Church. Send each and all of us this day into the world you have given to us to proclaim the gospel you have given to each and to all of us that Jesus offers forgiveness and salvation to all people... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen