18/3/21 Day 26

TODAY'S VERSE: 18/3/21 Day 26

“HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. Remember my chains. May God’s grace be with you.” - Colossians 4:18

 

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

While we have more tools than ever to help us communicate and form community, we sometimes confuse those platforms for the connection that they’re supposed to help create. Superficial statistics of hearts and emojis can trick us into thinking that we’ve related to others, when we’ve really just glazed over what’s really going on in someone’s life. This is coming from someone who is very pro-social media: the stereotype is that my Generation Y is the first to struggle with human connection, but the truth is, it’s ALWAYS been hard. Even for people during Jesus’ time.

There’s this line at the very end of Colossians (4:18) where Paul tells the reader of his letter that he wrote it himself, and to remember his struggles. Why would he say this? Back then, a lot of people (especially important people like Paul) would have had scribes write FOR them, instead of doing it themselves. But Paul wants to make sure that the Colossians know that he is writing it himself, and then reminds them of his own story. Relationship means knowing and taking part in each other’s stories. While we may never meet some of those that we communicate with around the world, this was the same for Paul: he never met many of the people in Colossae face-to-face. But as he was encouraging them in his letter, thanking them for their part in the early church, he recognized both their struggles and successes, calling out the goodness that he saw in them. Through this letter, he recognized, even from afar, that they were contributing to the same big story.

Chris Kimpston
Young Adult & Missions Minister - Hope Des Moines

TODAY'S PRAYER

Lord, however we connect with people these days – in person, online, or writing a letter thousands of miles away – help us to see past the superficial, see and speak into who You created them to be, and acknowledge how we are taking part in Your story together. Amen.



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