Paul's Ministry

Living in Covenant

A Fulfilled Covenant

Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5) 

Hearts United in Love

Colossians 1:24-29 The Message 

24-25 I want you to know how glad I am that it’s me sitting here in this jail and not you. There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church’s part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God’s way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth.
26-29 This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery, in a nutshell, is just this: Christ is in you, so, therefore, you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

For Reflection

We all suffer.  Suffering is part of the human condition.  For Saul, a staunch adherent to the Jewish religion,  the challenging Christ event spawned a dissonance that generated great fear. As a result, Saul suffered so much in his previous life he perceived Jesus as a threat and became an enemy of Jesus.His, transforming experience, however, removed the risk of change.Because as a believer in God's goodness and a follower of Jesus, now Paul was able to re-frame his suffering as an opportunity to witness to the saving Grace of God.

Face it! Would any of us submit to a dynamic change in our lives if it were not for the suffering (perceived harm) we experienced? Some of us answer our pain by stubborn reliance on what has worked unsuccessfully before, and the anguish continues.  Others, like Paul, will grasp a new way of being and understand the blessing that suffering brings.

Pray

Pray and transform suffering into a gift that will change your life into one of joy and peace.

Forward to a friend