READING: Numbers 12-14, Psalm 28, Colossians 2
There are times when life circumstances separate us from brothers and sisters in Christ we really love. Jobs move us to other states. God’s call requires we relocate to the nations. Moving to help take care of elderly grandparents or growing grandchildren takes us away from our beloved church. And, in some cases—like Paul’s situation—opposition, persecution, and imprisonment physically separate believers from others.
Paul, though, knew that physical separation could not erase his relationship with the Colossian believers. He may have been absent from them in body, but he wrote to them, “I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ” (Col 2:5). Paul and the Colossians were united by the Spirit who dwelled in them, and the apostle’s care for them did not decrease simply because he could not be with them. He had heard about their commitment to Christ, and those stories brought him great joy.
I am not in Paul’s situation today, but I’m nevertheless thinking about all the believers who’ve influenced my life over the years. Pam and I have moved several times, and we’ve always left behind believers we had grown to love. In God’s unique way, however, he allows us to be with them (and they with us) in spirit, even when geographic miles stand between us. We always rejoice when we hear about their continued faithfulness to Christ.
PRAYER: “Thank You, Lord, for believers whose love and support have brought us great joy.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Numbers 15-18, Psalm 113, Colossians 3