#A week or ago, I was included in an email sent to quite a number of people with the subject heading ‘a reminder to worship’ and this verse:
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7, NRSV
As I read those words I was struck by how different life looks now to how it did only a few weeks ago – and how at times it really doesn’t feel like I’m continuing anything.
I don’t know about you, but for me, almost everything that was in my diary over the last 6 weeks has been cancelled or postponed, and almost everything I’m doing now, whether it be work or family life, is very much different to how it normally is or was planned to be. How can I continue anything?
But after my instinctive reaction, I soon realised that this summons to the disciples of Colossae was not about the practicalities of church life and family living, but about continuing living in Jesus. Continuing to be rooted and built up in Christ. Continuing to sustain and deepen the faith they have already been pursuing, the faith they have already been taught and grounded in. Always giving thanks.
In the last few weeks,
I’ve had good days and bad days.
Happy days and sad days.
Days where I’ve felt I’ve made a difference.
Days when I’ve wondered if I should even have got out of bed!
Yet all the while, no matter how I’ve felt about the ‘stuff’ of my day, I’ve been certain of the fact that Jesus is there beside me.
I found this stone on the beach last week, round with a hole in it and, to me, it was like the empty tomb. It now sits on my desk next to my little stone cross as a reminder that no matter how I feel at any moment of any day, Jesus is alive and with me every step of the way.
As you continue to live in Jesus, I pray you know for yourself that he lives and is with you every step of the way.
May the peace of the Risen Christ be with you.
Rev Dan
Join the conversation
How has God been speaking to you this week? Please share in the comments below as we encourage each other to continue in faith.
Rev Dan Balsdon's Blog 
I pray grateful thanks that whatever our personal issues with the effect of this virus, on TV by talking to family and other people; there is a growing awareness in people of the love and care for others that Christ had as a main point of his ministry. I further pray this will continue long after the virus is behind us.
LikeLike
So far this has been a better day! But thanks Dan for putting into words just how I’ve been feeling. Today we’ve joined in Colonel Tom’s 100th birthday celebrations and seen the third egg on the osprey nest! Now the rain has stopped and I’m able to get out into the garden where the soil is no longer like concrete so that I can prepare a slot for my new plants due to arrive next week. How much better could life be under the restraints we have to accept for now? And I pray for all those who have NOT had the simple pleasures which have given my day a good start. For those especially in refugee camps around the world who have nothing but their faith that God is somehow with them.If they can still believe, then we all can. May God bless them all.
LikeLike