By Jackie Scrivanich
Colossians 1:5-8 “The faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.”
Hope is the promised Word of God as laid out in the Bible. He has given us an assurance of the future and of who He is. From this hope spring both faith and love. The Gospel, the good news of Jesus, is our ultimate hope. No matter what is happening in our lives, we can always focus on that truth, that hope. We can choose to live in light of our current situation or we can choose to live in light of the hope that comes from what Jesus has does and continues to do for us.
Dear sister, I urge you today to live in light of Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection.
Live out of the freedom that comes from what Jesus did, but also live for what He did. Being a follower of Jesus isn't just a get-into-heaven-free card. It is so much more than that. It is an opportunity and a calling to follow Him by being His disciple. This is what the scripture we began with is referring to when it talks about the gospel bearing fruit. God's Word says Christians will be known by their fruit.
Are you bearing fruit? Because you matter. As a precious daughter of the King, you matter greatly to Him. One person matters. Epaphras was a slave, and yet he was used to spread the gospel. Epaphras mattered to God. You matter to God.
Our world sometimes seems a bit hopeless, but God's Word and His truth transforms—His Gospel has changed and will continue to change the world. One person can share God's truth, live out God's truth, and in doing so change the course of the world.
Are you willing to allow God to use you?
Dear God, we thank you for your reminder that we need to be rooted in faith, hope, and love and that these things all come from you. Help us to live out of the truth found within your gospel, through your son Jesus. Help us to choose you and rely on you. We pray that we would go deeper in our relationship with you—we want to bear fruit and be true disciples. Help us, be with us, guide us with your Holy Spirit. In your mighty name we pray, Amen.