Eternal Affairs

“Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone” Col.4:5-6 [emphasis added]

“And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you” Col.4:7 [emphasis added]. For a lot of us when we see such scriptures we believe that God is speaking only to Pastors. That is far from the truth because we all have a ministry given to us by God. Everybody has a ministry. If you are a business man that is a ministry God has given you. If you are a professional that is a ministry, if you are home keeper that is a ministry, if you are serving in church in any capacity that is a ministry. And God says be sure to carry them out. In other words, it is one thing for God to give you a ministry but it is another thing for you to give diligence to make it sure. So the ministry or the calling on your life will not happen automatically you have to be sure to carry it out. “…brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” 2 Pet.1:10. God has called you to do something but if you do not throw yourself at it, it is not going to happen.

“Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—Paul. Remember my chains. May God’s grace be with you” Col.4:18 [emphasis added]. A lot of us have email signatures but the question is why is Paul saying remember my chains, does he want pity from the church in Colossae? Or perhaps he said it so that the church in Colossae can raise a prayer altar for his deliverance from prison. I don’t think so because Paul’s prayer request was the opportunity to speak the Gospel [Col.4:3-4]. Just imagine being in prison and then getting an opportunity to write a letter to your church, what will your prayer request be? My prayer request would have been for God to deliver me from prison. I can ask for prayers to speak boldly and be anointed but I will also include deliverance. And I do not think God will be angry if I do that. But Paul did not even ask the church to pray for his freedom. So why would Paul say remember my chains? Paul is saying remember my chains to encourage the church in Colossae that you can be smack in the middle of God’s purpose for your life and still be in pain. A lot of us tend to think we are going through pain because something is wrong. Paul is saying consider my predicament, I am in chains and nothing is wrong. That is so amazing. It is just like when the Scriptures say, “count it all joy ” [Please read James 1:2-4].

Prayer: Father, I ask for the grace to give myself diligently to Your calling on my life and to run with purpose even in the center of pain, in Jesus Name.