"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." - Colossians 3:16
“For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain”. - Philippians 1:12-21 (vs. 21)
When you think of “Life in Mission”, what thoughts come to mind? Africa, Haiti, Mexico, Peru? I know I tend to think of it in those terms. But we must be ever mindful that Life in Mission is anywhere we currently are.
Some years ago I was privileged to go to a Promise Keepers conference in Washington, D.C. There were over 1 million Christian men at this event and it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We knew that the world was watching and we were on our “best behavior”. Garbage was put in trash cans, and when they were full, it was neatly stacked right beside the receptacle. We sang Christian songs on the subway. Even though there were lines and a snarl of people everyone was patient and polite. We knew we were in Life in Mission and acted accordingly.
St. Paul reminds us in today’s passage that for him to live is Christ. It was all Jesus all the time 24/7/365. Paul didn’t much care about motives as much as in all things Jesus was preached. Every day was a new opportunity to share Jesus with a lost world whether he was writing a letter, travelling or preaching. In Acts 16 we see he was imprisoned and before that adventure was over the jailer and his whole family were believers!
Look at every day as an opportunity to share Jesus and remember you do most of your sharing without talking!!!
God is always working and it is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict the heart, not ours. So relax, live your life focused on Jesus and take the opportunities as they come to share Jesus in word, thought, and deed. You may never travel out of the country, or even out of the state of Wisconsin, but you are living Life in Mission every day, in every area of your life: home, school, family, career. Be more aware of this fact so you are more purposeful in the things you say and do knowing that you are actively witnessing to the world.
Father God, help us to be more aware that we are witnessing 24/7/365. With this in mind, help us to actively find new and different ways of pointing others to You no matter where we are. Amen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this devotional. May God Bless your study of His Word in this Alive in Jesus study.
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