"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. [...] that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [...] At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison[...]
—Col 1:24-26, 2:2-3, 4:3
Our job as Christians, and even more so as "missionaries," is to proclaim this mystery - that Christ is in us, and this mystery is for everyone who responds to the gospel, God's word.
So for right now, most of us have very little knowledge of Spanish. And many people we talk to have very little knowledge of English. But even now, even before we take our Spanish classes, we can proclaim this mystery by being something different than the spring-breakers that stereotype Americans, by just being here and showing them that yes, even people from far away love you, our brothers and sisters.
Sometimes, in contrast to a relativistic world, I forget just how powerful encouragement really is. In Colossians 4:8, Paul sends Tychicus to Colosse "for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts." For right now, that's what we're doing in Mexico. And for right now, that's enough.
Posts
Hello out there!
7 years ago
1 comment:
Brettin - So wonderful to keep up with you. I love considering the meaning of stewardship - Stewardship - A manager,(whether free-born or as was usually the case, a freed-man or a slave) to whom the head of the house or proprietor has entrusted the management of his affairs, the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion to every servant and even to the children not yet of age.
God has entrusted you with the care of His work, including His children who are not yet mature. Isn't that an amazing, humbling and rather ridiculous thought?! It’s exhilarating(and frightening) to discover that you have moved in to the world of the apostles who recognized that they had been given a task that was so far over their heads that they must fully depend on God at every turn. As you know, this is your only means of success and that, when you fail, He will be there to teach you through it. He will even shape it in a way that you will look back and not be able to imagine a world without that failure; you will not know how you would have learned the things you did without it. May He continually open and re-open your eyes to the truths that you depend on.
I love you and I am so proud of you. Please tell Chutney and Toby that I love them and I am praying for them.
Post a Comment