2Devote yourselves to prayer,
being watchful and thankful. 3And pray
for us, too, that God may open a door
for our message, so that we may proclaim
the mystery of Christ, for which I am in
chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it
clearly, as I should. 5Be wise in the
way you act toward outsiders; make the
most of every opportunity. 6Let your
conversation be always full of grace,
seasoned with salt, so that you may know
how to answer everyone.
7Tychicus will tell you all the news
about me. He is a dear brother, a
faithful minister and fellow servant in
the Lord. 8I am sending him to you
for the express purpose that you may
know about our[a] circumstances and that
he may encourage your hearts. 9He is
coming with Onesimus, our faithful and
dear brother, who is one of you. They
will tell you everything that is
happening here.
10My fellow
prisoner Aristarchus sends you his
greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of
Barnabas. (You have received
instructions about him; if he comes to
you, welcome him.) 11Jesus, who is
called Justus, also sends greetings.
These are the only Jews among my fellow
workers for the kingdom of God, and they
have proved a comfort to me.
12Epaphras, who is one of you and a
servant of Christ Jesus, sends
greetings. He is always wrestling in
prayer for you, that you may stand firm
in all the will of God, mature and fully
assured. 13I vouch for him that he is
working hard for you and for those at
Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14Our dear
friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send
greetings. 15Give my greetings to the
brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and
the church in her house."
(Colossians 4:2-15)
Thought:
The AP photo showed Alvaro De
Marichalar of Spain, wearing a long
coat, cap, and gloves while riding a Jet
Ski across the Tiber River in Rome. It
was taken just before his attempt to
cross the Atlantic on that same jet ski,
which seems a bit like trying to reach
the moon on a motorcycle. But to his
credit - he made it - but not on his
own.
And to the credit of
realistic journalism, the photo caption
also noted the presence of Alvaro's
support crew in a boat upriver.
Navigating the ocean on a personal
watercraft simply doesn't happen without
help. In fact, very few significant
accomplishments are made alone.
Singers don't win Grammys without a
back-up band. They don't tour without
skilled techies and seasoned roadies.
Athletes don't excel without coaches and
trainers and equipment managers. When an
actress or director receives an Oscar,
don't forget to read the credits at the
end of the film. Fall festivals like the
one we had this weekend, which was a
tremendous success (Go God!), can't
happen without many people working
behind the scenes. And Christians don't
stay in the spiritual race without a
support crew of other believers who
provide fellowship, prayer,
accountability, and encouragement.
In Colossians 4:7-14, Paul named
some of the people who were standing
with him as he wrote from prison in
Rome: Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus,
Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, and Demas.
As you read the passage, note what he
mentioned about these key people in his
life: a dear brother, a faithful
minister and fellow servant in the Lord;
my fellow prisoner; my fellow workers
for the kingdom of God; a comfort to me;
always wrestling in prayer.
Think of the people who would have
listed the apostle Paul in their
spiritual support crew. Most believers
who are on the cutting edge for Christ
benefit from and participate in the
ministry of encouragement and help.
If you're feeling alone at home,
work, or school, ask the Lord to bring
along some friends in the faith who can
walk with you each day. In the same
prayer, make yourself available to the
Lord to encourage someone else seeking
to live for Christ. No one wins without
help from the crew.
Questions to consider:
* Whose spiritual support crew am I
on?
* Which people give me the
greatest encouragement and help as a
Christian?
* To whom will I
write a note to say thanks for all he or
she means to me?
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